I IIBRAIiY OF CONGRESS. 1 



I UNITED STATES OF AMERICi. i 



THE 

POMOLOGICAL MANUAL; 

OR, 

A TREATISE ON FRUITS : 

CONTAINING 

DESCRIPTIONS OF A GREAT NUMBER 

OF THE MOST VALUABLE VARIETIES 

FOR THE ORCHARD AND GARDEN. 



" When Autumn basks, with fruit empurpled deep, 
My pleasing theme continual prompts my thought; 
Presents the downy peach ; the shining plum ; 
The ruddy, fragrant nectarine ; and dark, 
Beneath his ample leaf, the luscious tig." 



BY WILLIAM ROBERT :^RINCE, 

Author of a Treatise on the Vine, ^cc. 

AIDED BY 

WILLIAM PRINCE, 

Proprietor of the Linniean Botanic Garden and Nurseries ; Vice-President of the New- York 
Horticultural Society; Member of the Linnaean Society of Paris; of the Horticultural Societies 
of London and Paris; of the Imperial Society of the Georgofili at Florence ; Honorary Member 
of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, etc. etc. 



PART I. 

SECOND EDITION. 



NE W.YORK: 

PUBLISHED BY T. & J. SWORDS, G. & C & H. CARVILL, E. BLISS, COLLINS & CO. 
G. THORBURN & SONS, NEW- YORK ; JUDAH DOBSON, PHILADELPHIA : 
I. B. RUSSELL, BOSTON ; GIDEON B. SMITH, BALTIMORE ; 
JAMES WINSTON, RICHMOND ; AND .lOSEPH 
SIMMONS, CHARLESTON, S. C. 



1832. 



Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1831, by William 
Robert Prince, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern 
District of New- York. 



, V J. SEYMOUR, PRINTEn, JOHN-STREET. 



TO THE 

PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS 

OF THE 

MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In the dedication of a work like the present, the 
attention is naturally drawn to those individuals and 
associations which evince the most zeal, and devote 
the most care and labour to the advancement of the 
object the author has in view. 

The association of such men as possess not only 
great intelhgence, but are also ardently attached to 
Horticulture, and anxious for its complete elucida- 
tion, has given to your Society a distinguished claim 
to public respect, and has also created a high opinion 
of its present and anticipation of its future usefulness. 

It is, therefore, with much satisfaction that I dedi- 
cate this work to the Massachusetts Horticultu- 
ral Society, with the hope that it may contribute 
its mite of information in the great field of that 
Science, to which its author, in common with your- 
selves, is most warmly attached. 

With the highest respect, 

Wm. ROBERT PRINCE. 



ABBREVIATION OF AUTHORITIES QUOTED. 



Pr. Hort. Prince's Treatise on Horticulture. 

Pr. Cat. William Prince & Sons' Catalogue of the Linniean Botanic Garden and Nurseries, 

twenty-sixth edition. 
Pr. Cat. 25 ed. Ditto, twenty-fifth edition. 
Duh. Duhamel Dumonceau Traite des Arbres Fruitiers. 
Duh. Syn. Synonyme according to Duhamel. 
O. Duh. Duhamel Dumonceau, first edition. 
O. Duh. syn. Synonyme according to the first edition of Duhamel 
N. Duh. Duhamel Dumonceau, nouvelle edition, 1825. 
Roz. Abb6 Rozier. 

Roz. syn. Synonyme according to Abbe Rozier. 
Pom. Mag. Poniological Magazine. 

Lond. Hort. Cat. Fruit Catalogue of the London Horticultural Society. 

Land. Hort. Trans. Transactions of the London Horticultural Society. 

Lang. Pom. Langley's Pomona. 

Mil. Miller's Gardener's Dictionary, edition of 1807. 

Mil. syn. Synonyme according to Miller. 

For. Forsyth on Fruit Trees, seventh edition, which is the editiori invariably referred to in 
this work. 

For. syn. Synonyme according to Forsyth. 
Evel. Evelyn Silva. 

Evel. syn. Synonyme according to Evelyn. 
Co.ve. Coxe on Fruit Trees. 

Die. d'Agric. Dictionnaire Raisonne, et TJniversel, d'Agficulture. 

Die. d'Agric. syn. SynQnyrQe according to the preceding Dictionnaire. 

Tourn. Tournefort. 

Van Mons. Van Mons Arbres Fruitiers. 

Quin. Quintinye, 

Q,uin. syn. Synonyme according to Quintinye. 
Fes. Amer. Gard. Fessenden's American Gardener- 
Bora. Jard. Bon Jardinier. 
Calv. Calvel. 

Kraft. Kraft Pomona Austriaca. 

Jard. Fruit.— Nois. Jarrf.— Noisette's Jctrdin Fruitier, 

Nois. Cat. Noisette's Catalogue. 

Nois. Man. Noisette's Manual. 

Pom. Austr. Pomona Austriaca. 

Christ. Christ Pomolog. 

Tasch. — Taschenb. — Taschenbuch. 

Pers. Synop. Persoon Synopsis Plantarum. 

Poit. et Turp. Trait,6 des Arbres Fruitiers, par A, Poiteau et P. Turpin. 
Switz. Switzer. 

Hook. Pom. Lond, Hooker Pomona Londinensig. 

Knoop Pom. Knoop Pomologia. 

Diet Pom. Diel Pomona. 

Wild. Sp. Wildenow Species Plantarum. 

Lin. LinniBBUS. 

Pal. Pallas. 

Gmel. Gmelin Flora Sibirica, 

Lei. Lelieur Pomona Francoise. 

Mayer. Mayer Pomona. 

Pom. Ft. Mayer Pomona Franconica. 

G Lind. in Hort. Trans. G. Lindley in the Transactions of the London Horticultural Soc. 

Lux. Cat. Catalogue of the Garden of the Luxembourg. 

Down. Samuel Downer, Esq. of Massachusetts. 

Ehrh. Beitr. Ehrhart Beitrage zur Naturkunde. 

Auth. Author of this work. 

mtt. Hltt's Treatise. 



INDEX TO PART I. 



ADOPTED NAMES. 



APRICOTS. 

Alberge - 159 

Alexandrian- i"^ 

Algiers 164 

Apricot of Noor 168 

Black 170 

Blotched-leaved 161 

Breda 164 

Brussels |d4 

Hcmskirke 169 

Holland 165 

Masculine - 157 

Monstrous Peach 159 

Moorpark 161 

Musch Musch 16" 

Orange 163 

Peach---- 158 

Portugal 162 

Provence 168 

Purple peach-leaved 172 

Red Angoumois 167 

Roman 165 

Royal- ;5I 

biberian '■'f' 

Turkey 160 

White Masculine 157 

PEARS. 

Admiral 66 

Ah ! mon Dieu 37 

Ambrette 122 

Angel 25 

Angelique de Rome 80 

Angleterre 55 

d'hiver 120 

de Noisette 150 

Apple 99 

Ashton-tow^n 129 

Aurate 12 

Bassin 37 

Beauty of Brussels 150 

of Winter 112 

of Summer 30 

of Autumn 64 

Belle Audibert 119 

Bessa - 120 

et Bonne 128 

Bequesae 105 

Bergamotte Cadette 76 

de Soulers - 78 

Sylvange 77 

Early 69 

Early French 69 

Easter 77 

English Autumn 71 

French Autumn 70 

Gansels 74 

Holland 73 

Red 68 

Summer 68 

Swiss 74 

Beurre blanc 48 

d'Ardempont 91 

d'Aremberg 51 

Diel 52 

Ranee 54 



Beurrfe Romaiii »» 

Spence 135 

Brown 49 

Black-seeded 151 

Easter-- 53 

Bezi de la Motte 79 

de Caissoy 125 

de Montigny 48 

d'H6ry 36 

Blanquet, Great 15 

Large round 15 

Long stalked 16 

Little 17 

Bloody 26 

Bonchretieii d'Auch 94 

Summer 59 

Musk Summer 61 

Rushmore's l47 

Spanish 93 

Williams' l37 

Winter 92 

British Russet 22 

Caesar 98 

Capiaumont 127 

Cardinale 90 

Calebash 67 

Cassaute de Brest 65 

Cassolette- 31 

Great 32 

Catillac 109 

Chair a dame 34 

Champ riche d'ltalie 114 

Chaptal 109 

Chat-brusle 89 

Chaumontel 94 

Chio 129 

Clap 143 

Colmar 99 

Golden 151 

Crasanne 75 

Variegated 76 

Gushing 144 

Dix 142 

Donville 84 

Double-headed 29 

eyed 18 

flowering 107 

" with striped fruit 108 

Doyenne, white 43 

Gray 46 

Duchess of Angouleme 126 

Echassery 124 

Egg 36 

Epargne- 152 

Figu e, or Petalless 27 

Fine Gold of Summer 18 

of September 65 

Flemish Beauty 133 

Forelle 130 

Forty Ounces 118 

Franc- real 104 

Summer 134 

Frangipane 49 

Gillogille Ill 

Gore's Heathcot 143 

Green Chisel 14 

Grise Bonne 34 



VI 



TNDEX. 



Gros Hastivenu de la Foret 18 

Grosse poire de Vitrier 107 

Guernsey 145 

Harvard - -- 145 

Hastiveau 17 

Imperial 116 

Jalousie 67 

Jargonelle 154 

Johonnot - - 146 

Kitchen 98 

Lansac - - --- 115 

Large Crimson 19 

oblong 89 

Lewis - 140 

Long Rosewater 147 

Louise bonne 97 

Louison - 86 

Madeleine--- 13 

Mansuette - 62 

Marie Louise 131 

Marquise - 80 

Martin— sec 58 

sire 62 

Mauni 89 

Messire Jean 82 

Moutliwater 56 

Muscadelle - 22 

Large 23 

Muscat Fleuri 12 

Roye 134 

Robert 11 

Royal 11 

German 81 

Red 12 

Flowered Autumn 129 

Musk Drone 25 

Little 10 

Naples 78 

October Crimson • 86 

Ognonet 24 

de Provence 24 

Orange, Musk 40 

Red 40 

Striped 42 

Winter 41 

Passe Colmar 101 

Pastorale 113 

Payency 98 

Perfumed - 23 

Pine-apple---- 136 

Poire de Jardin 103 

a gobert 97 

de pendant 84 

passans 91 

des Chartreux - - - 37 

Pound 149 

French 117 

Present de Malines 135 

Priest's pear 108 

Princess of Orange- 127 

Provence 85 

Raleau 110 

Red cheek 148 

flowering 27 

Robin e 33 

Ronvllle-- 63 

Rougeaude 88 

Rousselet de Rlieims 20 

Early 20 

Great ---- 21 

Winter 21 

Rousseline 90 

Royal Winter - 81 

Saint 1'ere .- 113 

Laurent 83 

I,e/,ain 66 

Martial 78 

Francois- 85 

August! II 114 



Saintonge • 82 

Saint Germain- 95 

" Summer 30 

" Prince's 146 

Uvedale's 130 

Salviati 32 

de Provence - 33 

Sanin-- 



29 

Saras in 121 

Seckel 139 

Sieulle 151 

Stevens' Genesee* 145 

Skinless 138 

Striped long green 57 

Summer Beauty 26 

Vermilion 88 

Rose 38 

Melting 148 

Thorn of Thoulouse 28 

Great 28 

Small 28 

Sugar, Early 9 

Green 57 

Swan's Egg 150 

Tarquin ■ 103 

The Prince's Pear 35 

Tonneau - 108 

Treasure - 117 

Trompe Cassaire 134 

Trouve 115 

Turkish 41 

Vallee Franche - 83 

Vanderveer--, 153 

Vine, or Lady's 58 

Virgouleuse ---- 87 

Vitrier - 106 

Windsor 155 

Winter Tltorn - - 105 

Nelis 132 

Wonder of Winter 106 

PEACHES. 

Admirable 196 

Alberge, Yellow - 18? 

Early yellow IS; 

Apricot Peach - 19' 

Barrington - 20l 

Beauty of Vitry 191 

Bellegarde 18 

Cardinale 19 

Catharine - 19' 

Chancellor, English IS 

French 18 

Chevreuse, Early 17 

Late 17 

Belle 17 

Early Purple-- 18 

French Blood Peach 19 

Geni ge the Fourtli 19 

Ispaliiin 18 

Late purple 19 

Magdalen, White 18 

Late red 18 

Small white 18 

Madeleine de Courson 18 

Magdalen clingstone 19 

Malta IS 

Mignonne, Small, or Petite 17 

Grosse 18 

Late - 18 

Monstrous Pomponne 19 

Nivette 19 

Noblesse 17 

Nutmeg, Earliest white 1" 

Red 17 

Round transparent 188 

Royal Georgt- 1'9 

Vinous purple ■ 



190 



* This title will be adopted in future, Mr. Guernsey havitig informed me that it was raise 
from seed by Mr. Stevens, and that it ought to bear this name. 



PREFACE. 



The object of this work is to present to the public definite descrip- 
tions of the choicest varieties of fruit suited to the orchard and the 
garden, and best calculated for cultivation in our country ; and to 
thereby afford those who desire to make selections, a sufficient degree 
of information to enable them to do so, with advantage to themselves, 
and in a manner that will comport with their wishes. 

In pursuance of this task, all publications of the highest authority 
will be carefully consulted, and such matter as is important to the in- 
tended object will be transferred to the present work. 

The synonymse will be most ample, and much more comprehensive 
than any that has hitherto appeared, and will consequently render great 
aid towards defining with accuracy the respective varieties, and also 
dispel many of the errors which have crept into similar publications. 

The works of Duhamel, Rozier, and of the London Horticultural So- 
ciety, stand first in the rank of pomological publications, and have shed 
great light upon the subject; but the field is so ample, that an immen- 
sity of labour still remains to be performed, ere we can perfect the great 
task in view. Let it then be made the purpose of every one who is 
conversant therewith, to contribute his mite towards the general stock 
of information ; and by cojistantly hoarding the tributes which intelligent 
minds may thus offer, and whose opportunities may be peculiarly fa- 
vourable for investigation, we shall in the end arrive at such a consum- 
mation as is alone attainable by the united labours of pomologists 
throughout the world. 

The studies of nature have been wisely ordained by Omnipotence as 
the most pleasing to the mind of man ; and it is in the unbounded field 
which natural objects presei^t, that he finds that enjoyment which their 
never-ending novelty is peculiarly calculated to impart, and which renders 
their study devoid of that satiety which attaches itself to other pursuits. 
Most wisely has it been thus prescribed, that by an occupation of the 
mind, in itself inviting and recreative, we should be insensibly led on to 
a development of the intricacies of nature, and be thus taught to appre- 
ciate the beneficence of the Creator, by a knowledge of the perfection 
and beauty which mark the labours of his hand. 

The establishment whence this work emanates is the oldest of the 
kind in our country, and it has from its commencement been the primary 
desire of its proprietors to preserve the utmost accuracy ; in doing which, 
pecuniary considerations have been deemed a subject of but minor 
importance, their nurseries and garden being a family inheritance, in 
the high character and perpetuity of which they have not only enlisted 
their interest and welfare, but whose advancement, as a great national 
institution, has been made a particular object of their feelings and pride. 

It has long been a received opinion among a portion of the public, that 
the proprietors of nurseries prefer to perpetuate a plurality of names for 
the same fruit, and are not desirous to reduce the nomenclature to a cor- 
rect basis, but find an advantage in the confusion which exists. This 
opinion has gained credence from the circumstance that the same fruit is 
cultivated in some nurseries under two, three or more names ; but as so 



Vlll 



PREFACE. 



erroneous a practice is most generally attributable to the ignorance of 
the proprietor, and seldom arises from an intention to deceive, the opinion 
referred to is not supported by the premises. 

It must, however, be acknowledged as a correct position, that the pro- 
prietor of a nursery ought invariably to possess a full knowledge of the 
qualities and peculiarities of the respective varieties of fruits which he 
cultivates, as without such information he would be altogether incompe- 
tent to institute the necessary comparisons, and to correct the inaccura- 
cies which occasionally creep into such establishments ; for there is, 
perhaps, no other profession where close attention and minute investiga- 
tion are so indispensable to the maintenance of strict accuracy. So all- 
important is this point of consideration, that the permanency and future 
prosperity of a nursery wholly depend on its character for accuracy being 
supported ; and it is only where the owner intends to speedily discontinue 
his establishment, that he can be so indifferent to its character as to 
intentionally injure the public by deceptions. 

The peculiar appropriateness of our country to the culture of the 
various fruits, and the advantages of soil and climate for the formation 
of extensive orchards, and for enriching our gardens with the choicest 
productions of other climes, render the study of pomology one of high 
and increasing interest. Horticultural pursuits add not only to the 
pleasures and conveniences of life, but tend greatly to advance the 
wealth of a community. In this vicinity, and in many other sections of 
our country, the extensive orchards are sources of large revenue, and 
greatly enhance the value of the respective farms on which they are 
located. Indeed, in this neighbourhood, a farm without a good orchard is 
deemed incomplete. Even those persons who, from the pressure of other 
avocations, necessarily confine their attention to horticulture within the 
limits of a garden, find there the source of much gratification ; while 
it affords them a most pleasurable recreation, and allows the mind to 
relax from the more arduous pursuits of life. The scientific cultivator 
cannot fail to find a perpetual source of interest and amusement in the 
numberless novelties and peculiarities which will arrest his attention. 

It is not proposed here to enter upon a discussion of the methods of 
culture best adapted to the various species of fruit, that subject being 
reserved for its proper place. It must be evident to every one that the 
natural advantages which our country presents, are daily attaining 
to a more ample development, and to a more correct appreciation of 
their value by our intelligent citizens ; and we need not doubt that a 
most successful result will eventually crown their labours. 



POMOLOGICAL MANUAK 



PEARS. 
J:ARLY sugar.— Pr. cat. 



JoanneU N. Duh. 

Arnir^ Joannet, Roz. O. Duh. 

Joannette. 



Petit Saint- Jean. 

Archduc d'M^, erroneously* 

St, John'' s pear. 



This fruit is regularly pyriform, twenty three lines in height^ 
and fifteen in diameter. The eye is even with the extremity 
of the fruit, and that part is of very round form, diminishing 
gradually in size to the stem, which is fifteen to twenty lines 
in length. The skin is almost invariably of an uniform 
colour, at first a clear green, which changes to a lemon colour 
at maturity ; in some few cases the part exposed to the sun 
partakes of a slight shade of red- The flesh is white, deli- 
cate, somewhat juicy when first ripe, not high-flavoured but 
sugary, and when over-ripe becomes mealy ; the seeds are 
brown, small, and very pointed. This pear is usually the first 
ripe, and is always eaten, in France, about the period of St. 
John's day, whence it has there obtained the title of Joannet. 
It can be ingrafted on the quince stock, as well as on the pear. 
It grows quite slow when young, and has not a vigorous ap- 
pearance, but in time becomes a tree of considerable size. 



10 



PEARS. 



LITTLE MUSK. Pr. cat. Evei.. Mil. For. 

Little muscat. Evel. Mil. 

Primitive, or Little muscat. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Petit muscat. Quin. Roz, Tourn. Duh. Mil. 

Sept en gueule. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. 

Muscat petit. 

Petit muscat, Little musk, or Primitive. Coxe. 
Supreme, of some English and American collections, but 
not of the French. 

Tliis pear, which is one of the very earliest at maturity, is 
produced in clusters ; it is of a roundish form, somewhat in the 
shape of a top, very small,, the largest not exceeding thirteen 
or fourteen lines in height and twelve or thirteen in diameter ; 
it is often somewhat flattened at the head, and the circum- 
ference of the eye is swollen by some slight ridges. The 
stem is in many cases short and thick, at others long and 
slender ; the skin is a yellowish green on the shade side, and 
more or less marbled with brownish red dots next the sun ; 
the flesh is half-breaking, of an agreeable taste, the flavour 
rather high and musky in the best expositions, but not so in 
others. The seeds are whitish, brown only at the summit, and 
large in proportion to the size of the fruit. This variety of 
pear ripens early in July, and may be ingrafted on both quince 
and pear stocks. Unlike the preceding variety, this is one of 
the most vigorous and thrifty growing pear trees, and remark- 
ably erect in its form, soon attaining to be a handsome and 
stately tree. Miller describes this under two distinct heads ; 
first as the Musk, Little musk, or Petit muscat, commonly 
called the Supreme ; and next as the Muscat, Petit muscat, or 
Little muscat — for the former he quotes Duh. and for the latter 
Tourn. Forsyth follows this error, and continues it even in 
his seventh edition ; but by reference to the earlier authorsj, 
it will be perceived there is no authority for this course. 



PEARS. 



11 



ROYAL MUSCAT. Pr. cat. 

Muscat Royal, Roz. Duh. 

This pear is nine lines in height and the same in diameter, 
its general form being that of a top ; the stem is slender, and 
fifteen lines in length ; the skin is a little rough, and of a red- 
dish gray colour ; the flesh is half-melting, sweet and pleasant ; 
the seeds are large and black, and the fruit ripens at the begin- 
ning of September. This variety has been but latterly intro- 
duced, and will be found in my catalogue, 26th edition. 



MUSCAT^ ROBERT. Pr, cat. Qtjin. Evel. Roz. Duh. For. 

Poire d la reine, } r\ • t\ u i 
Poire d'ambre, \ sy... Mil. 

Pucelle de Xaintonge, Quin. Mil. 

Queen, Amber, The Princess, Maiden of Flanders, > ^^^j 

Maiden of Xaintonge, Great mush pear of Cou^, ^ 

Muscat d'ambre, } c j-rp *. 

^ c • . T ^ 01 difierent writers. 

Gros bamt Jean musquee, ^ 

Queen's, Amber, Virgin of Xaintonge, Mil. 

Robine, Muscat Robine, Musk Robine. Mil. erroneously. 

This fruit is twenty lines in height and twenty-three in 
diameter ; its shape is pyriform, terminating in a point at the 
stem, which is eight to ten lines in length, and around which 
there are often some slight furrows ; the eye is large, very 
open, and often surrounded with some swellings or ridges ; 
the skin is smooth, thin, and light green, becoming somewhat 
yellowish when at perfect maturity ; the flesh is delicate and 
of very rich and sweet flavour ; the seeds are large and black. 
The period at which the fruit ripens is about the middle of 
July. The tree grows but slowly when ingrafted on the quince 
stock, but vigorously on the pear stock. It will be perceived 
that Miller confuses the Robine pear with this, by making them 
synonymous, see No. 14, Mil. Gard. Die. ; but Forsyth does 
not follow him in this error in his seventh edition. 



12 



PEARS, 



MUSCAT FLEURI. Pr. cat. Roz, Duh, 

Muscat d longue queue d^automne, J 

Long stalked muscat of autumn, > Mil. syn. erroneously. 
Flowered Muscat, ) 

This little pear would be perfectly globular, if it was not 
partially flattened at the summit and base, which causes its 
diameter to rather surpass its height, the former measuring 
fourteen lines, and the latter twelve. The peduncle is very 
long in proportion to the size of the fruit, being often twenty 
lines in length. The skin is smooth and of a green hue, but 
attains at maturity a light yellow tinge on the shade side, and a 
red mingled with fawn colour on the side next the sun. The 
flesh is slightly greenish, half-melting, not very high flavoured, 
but somewhat musky. The seeds are very small, of a light 
brown colour, and the fruit ripens at the end of July. Quin- 
tinye speaks of a Muscat-Fleuri then cultivated in France that 
ripened the middle of October, to which the three synonymes 
above apply, and Miller most unaccountably annexes them to 
this variety, and even quotes the description of that pear, al- 
though it is totally distinct and a dark red fruit, 

RED MUSCAT. Pr. cat. 

Muscat rouge, Duh. 

This pear is small, pyriform, of a yellowish green colour 
where shaded, and a pleasant red next to the sun ; the flesh 
is breaking and perfumed, and the fruit ripens at the end of 
August, 

AURATE. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. Coxe. 

Poire dor^e. 
Muscat de Nancy, 

This fruit has frequently the shape of a top, being fifteen 
lines in height, and of the same diameter ; the eye is placed in 
a shallow cavity ; the stem is rather large in proportion to the 



PEARS. 13 

fruit, and about an inch in length ; the skin is thin, of a very 
pale yellow on the shade side, and bright red on that next the 
sun ; the flesh is half-melting, not high flavoured, and is with- 
out much juice. This pear ripens in July, and the tree grows 
much more vigorously on a pear stock than on the quince. 

MADELEINE. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. Pom.mag. Mil. For. Coxe. 

Madelaine, and Madeline. 
Magdeleine. 
Magdalen, For. syn. 

Citron des Carmes'. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. Mil. For. and others. 

Green Chisel, of Miller, and of most American gardens. 

Poire hastweau, or hativeau. i j^^^ erroneously. 

Hasting pear, 3 

Early Chaumontelle, of some American collections. 

Duhamel thus describes this most excellent fruit, which is 
said to have received its name from its ripening about the 
period of the tete de St. Madeleine. The pear is twenty-five 
lines in height and twenty-four in diameter, and its form is 
precisely that of a top. The peduncle is very long, often two 
inches ; the eye, which is nearly even with the base of the fruit, 
is surrounded by slight furrows ; the skin, which is at first 
entirely green, becomes of a pale lemon colour when the fruit 
is at maturity, and occasionally, but not often, acquires a slight 
tint of red on the sunny side. " The flesh is white and very 
delicate, perfectly melting and sweet, with a slightly perfumed 
flavour, accompanied by a small degree of acidity which ren- 
ders it extremely agreeable. It may justly be ranked among 
the most estimable of the early fruits, being surpassed by none 
and equalled by but few of them. The growth of the tree is 
very vigorous, and its whole appearance particularly flourish- 
ing, and it is remarkable for its erect and stately form ; these 
several characters so distinguish it, that it cannot well be mis- 
taken for any other. The seeds are of a brownish red colour, 
and the fruit ripens towards the end of July. It can be in- 
grafted on both quince and pear. The fruit does not last 
long, but keeps only a few days when gathered before it be- 
comes soft* 



14 



PEARS. 



There is one fatality attending this tree that I have particu- 
larly noticed, which is, that it is more subject to be affected 
by the fire-blight than any other variety, so far as my expe- 
rience goes, and this fact would seem to strengthen the opinion 
that such attacks are connected with vigour of growth and 
profusion of sap, which are particular characteristics of this 
tree. The following additional descriptive remarks are copied 
from the Pomological Magazine, a work published under the 
auspices of the London Horticultural Society. 

"Wood bright, clear, reddish brown, with a few scattered 
prominent pale spots ; leaves cordate, ovate, tapering a little 
to the point, finely serrated, and quite flat ; fruit middle-sized, 
turbinate, with a thickening on one side of the stalk, which 
is about an inch long (.^ Auth.), eye slightly hollowed. It bears 
much resemblance to the Citron de Sierenz, from which it 
chiefly differs in the wood and leaves." 

Miller states this pear to have been commonly called the 
Green Chisel, and in describing it he quotes both the Citron des 
Carmes, and the Hastiveau of Duhamel, which that author 
mentions as distinct fruits. It is doubtless from this cause 
that the English at length found they had two pears under the 
same name, and that in consequence they dropped the title of 
Green Chisel, (as has been done) formerly applied to this, and 
continued it for the other variety, which from the train of 
circumstances, is probably no other than the Hastiveau of 
Duhamel. 

GREEN CHISEL. Lano. pom. Foe. Pr. cat. 26 ed. 

Hastiveau, of the French ? 

The pear cultivated under this name in most collections in 
our country, and originally so called in Miller's Gardener's 
Dictionary and other English works, has been already stated 
to be the Madeleine ; whereas the present one is for reasons 
already advanced supposed to be the Hastiveau of the French 
collections, still as it may be a distinct variety, I insert it. 



PEARS > 



15 



Forsyth describes it as a middle-sized fruit, somewhat longish 
and tapering towards the stalk ; and always remaining green 
and full of juice when ripe ; it is a good bearer and ripens in 
July, and it is this variety only that is at present cultivated in 
the London nurseries, under the name at the head of the article. 

GREAT BLANQUET. Pr. cat. Fok. 
Grosse Uanquette. N. Duh. 

Oros hlanquet, or blanquetfe. Roz. O. Duh. Pr. cat. 25 ed, 
Blanquet, or Gros Blanquet, ) 
Great blanket, 5 
Musette d^Anjou, of various authors. 
Roi Louis. 

Bagpipe of Anjou. Mil. &c. 

This fruit is twenty-four to twenty-six lines in height and 
eighteen to twenty in diameter, and has a strong stem of ten 
or twelve lines in length. The skin is almost wholly of a 
yellowish white hue, with occasionally a slight degree of pale 
red next the sun ; the flesh is breaking and rather coarse, with 
some sweetness and moderate flavour ; the seeds are blacky 
and the fruit ripens at the beginning of August. 

LARGE ROUND BLANQUET. Auth. 

Grosse hlanquette ronde. N. Duh. 
Gros blanquet rond. Roz. O. Duh. 

This pear has the form of a top ; its height is twenty-two 
lines, its diameter eighteen, and the stem is large and short, 
being but five lines in length ; the eye is pretty large, and 
nearly even with the extremity of the fruit ; the skin yellowish 
white on the shade side, and slightly touched with red next the 
sun ; the flesh is white, half-breaking, and sweet, with some 
degree of flavour. This fruit ripens at the end of July or 
beginning of August, and has been but lately introduced to 
our country, where recent importations have now concentrated 
nearly all the most choice varieties of otlier climes. 



16 



LONG STALKED BLANQUET. Pr. cat. For. Pom. mag. 

Blanquette d longue queue. N. Duh. 

Blanquet d longue queue. Roz. O.Duh. Mil. 

Long taiVd Blanquet. Evel. 

Long stalk Blanquet. } 

Long stalked Blanket. \ ' 

Skinless, of the Bostonians ? 

This pear is small, being tWenty-one lines in height and 
nineteen in diameter, terminated by an acute point at the stem, 
but handsomely rounded next the eye, which is even with the 
fruit ; the skin is smooth, of a whitish green hue, and very 
rarely coloured with a partial tint of red next the sun ; the 
flesh is half-breaking, white, rather delicate, with abundance 
of sweet juice, perfumed and slightly vinous, which render it 
very agreeable. The seeds are light brown, and the fruit 
ripens at the commencement of August. 

I copy the following additional remarks, in regard to this 
pear, from the Pomological Magazine : 

" The tree is a great bearer, and the fruit does not rot so 
quickly as most pears of the same season ; it is one of the 
first that ripens, being in perfection (in England) from the 
20th to the 30th of July. Compared with others of the same 
season, it has high merit. The wood is strong, reddish brown, 
a little silvery on the lower ends, buds middle-sized lying close 
to the wood ; leaves small on very long stalks, finely toothed ; 
flowers broad with flat roundish petals, sometimes rather pink; 
fruit growing in clusters, f? B» d bouquetj Auth.) inversely 
egg-shaped; skin deep clear green, in France acquiring a 
pearly lustre which it never has here." 

This last description applies in several respects very closely to 
the Cluster Blanquet, or Blanquet dlBouquet which is an ear- 
lier and distinct variety. In Fessenden's American Gardener 
it is stated that this fruit is known about Boston by the name 
of Skinless pear, which is in fact a very diflerent fruit, as will 
be seen by referring to Duhamel and other authors of cele- 
brity. 



PEARS. 



17 



LITTLE BLANQUET. Pr. cat. Evel. For, 

Petite hlanquette. N. Duh. 

Petit blanquet: Quin. Roz, Duh. 

Poire a la perle, Roz. syn. Duh. syn, 

Blanquet petit. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Pearl pear. 

Little blanket , Mil. 

Musk blanquet, or Blanquette. MiL 

Small Blanquet. 

White pear. Evel. 

This fruit is pyriform, eighteen lines in height by thirteen 
in breadth ; the skin is very smooth and yellowish white ) the 
flesh is half-breaking, white, with a slight musk flavour and of 
pleasant taste. The seeds are well formed and of a light 
brown hue, and the fruit ripens the first part of August. The 
tree can be ingrafted on the quince or pear, and is very vigo- 
rous and fruitful. 



HASTIVEAU. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. 

Mativeau. Coxe. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Hativeaux. Jard. fruit. 

Hativau. Lond. Hort. Soq. cat. 

Green Chisel. For. and the modern English authors T 

This pear, which is of turbinate form a little flattened, usually 
measures fifteen lines in diameter, and thirty-four in height, 
and has a slender stem, whose length is disproportionate to 
the fruit, and often measures eighteen lines* The skin is very 
even, and entirely of a light yellow hue except on the suri side, 
where it has some touches of bright red. The flesh is half 
melting and musky, but nevertheless has but little flavour ; 
the seeds are black and well formed, and the fruit ripens 
about the middle of July, the tree produces abundantly, and 
may be propagated on both pear and quince stocks. I have 
already stated my reasons for the supposition that this may be 
the pear at present known in England as the Green GhiseL 

3 



18 



GROS HASTIVEAU DE LA FORET. Pr. cat. Dtik. 
Gros hativeau de lafyt'et. 

Hativeau gros de la forSt. Roz. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 
Hativau de laforet. Lond. Hort. Soc. cat. 
Large hativeau of the forest. 

This fruit is of the shape of a top, and is but eighteen to 
twenty lines in height, by fifteen or sixteen in diameter, with 
a large and short peduncle of only eight or nine lines in length. 
Its skin at perfect maturity is whitish in the shade, and of a lively 
red next the sun ; the flesh is white, breaking, rather dry and 
very slightly acid, but of no peculiar flavour, and has nothing 
to render it particularly desirable. The seeds are dark brown 
and the fruit ripens about the middle of August. 

FINE GOLD OF SUMMER. Pr. cat. Coxe. 

Fin or d^^t€, Roz. Duh. Coxe. 

This fruit is of medium size, and turbinate form, somewhat 
truncate at the end next the stem, which is sixteen lines in 
length ; it is flattened at the base, and the eye is situated in 
the centre of a small cavity. The skin is very smooth, of a 
yellowish green, dotted over with red points on the shade side, 
and of a deep and brilliant red next the sun ; the flesh is deli- 
cate, greenish, half melting, a little acid, and very agreeable ; 
the seeds are black and tolerably large, and the fruit matures 
about the middle of August. I find by my own observations, 
and those of my intelligent friend Robert Manning, Esq. of 
Salem, Mass. that two other varieties of pears are erroneously 
cultivated under this name in some nurseries, probably without 
the knowledge of the proprietors. 

DOUBLE EYED PEAR. Auth. 
'Poire a deux yeux, N. Duh. 

This fruit greatly resembles both in form and in colour the 
one usually called here the Jargonelle, which is the Epargne 



PEARS. 



19 



of the French ; it differs only in being a little smaller, its 
greatest length is but thirty-six to thirty-eight lines, and its 
greatest breadth twenty-two. What particularly distinguishes 
it, is that it appears to have two eyes, which is caused by two 
sections of the calyx, forming themselves one within the other 
in such a manner as to divide the eye into two parts, and to 
give it the appearance of being double ; the flesh is half- 
melting, with a little sharpness, but of agreeable flavour. In 
the south of France, this pear ripens as early as the end of 
June, with us here the period of maturity is July. Rozier 
places the title of this pear as a synonyme of the Poire a deux 
tetes, but the New Duhamel describes them as quite distinct, 
I have followed the latter. 



LARGE CRIMSON. Pr. cat. 

Grosse cremesine, N. Duh. 
Cremesine, i ed. 
Crimson. ^ 
Cremesine d' aout ? 



It is only comparatively with the still smaller variety of this 
pear, that the present one has received the term of grosse or large, 
for its height is but twenty-seven lines, and its greatest dia- 
meter twenty-one lines ; the stem is ten or twelve lines in 
length, large in comparison with the fruit, and is inserted 
laterally. The skin is a whitish green in the shade, and of a 
lighter or darker hue of crimson on the side exposed to the 
sun. The flesh is somewhat firm, of a high and sugary fla- 
vour, and the seeds are dark brown or nearly black. The 
Petite-cremesine only varies from the preceding by being 
rather smaller and in general not so highly coloured. These 
two kinds are much cultivated in Provence, (France,) where 
they ripen in July ; in this latitude they will probably mature 
their fruit by the first of August. 



20 



PEARS. 



EARLY ROUSSELET. Pr. cat. For. 

Rousselet Jiatif, Roz. Duh. 
Poire de Chypre, } ^ t\ u 

Perdreau, ] ^y"- ^uh. syn. 

Cyprus pear, 

Catherine, or Kattern, of the Bostonians, according to Fess. 
Amer. Gardiner. 

This fruit is small and pyriform, twenty-two to twenty-four 
lines in height, and eighteen to twenty in its greatest diameter, 
it is rounded at the head with a partial cavity to receive the 
eye. The stem is large in proportion to the fruit, and is 
rarely more than nine or ten lines in length. The skin is 
delicate, yellowish in the shade, and of a rather lively red, 
mingled with small grey spots next the sun. The flesh is 
white, with a partial tint of yellow, half-breaking, of an agree- 
able fragrance, with a sweet and perfumed flavour. This 
pear ripens here at the end of July, and greatly resembles 
the Rousselet de Rheims, but has less flavour and perfume. 
In Fessenden's Amer. Gardener, it is stated that this variety is 
known around Boston by the title of Catherine, or as pro- 
nounced Kattern,h\it some confusion exists there on this head, 

ROUSSELETTE DE RHEIMS. Pr. cat. Duh, 

Rousselet de Reims. Roz. 

Rousselet of Rheims, ^ 

Petit rousselet, v of various authors. 

Musk or Spice, y 

Late Catharine, } r * n ^- 

Autumn Catharine, \ of some American collections. 

Musk, Spice, or Rousselet de Rheims. Coxe. 

This fruit is also pyriform, about two and a quarter inches 
in height, and twenty lines in diameter, the eye is large and 
even with the fruit, the stem is eight or ten lines in length ; 
the skin is green on the shade side, but becomes yellowish at 
perfect maturity, the sun side attains a brownish red hue, and 
is entirely covered with greyish dots. The flesh is half-melt- 
ing, musky, enriched by a peculiar perfume, which imparts an 



21 



excellent taste. In fact this fruit has the same flavour as our 
far-famed Seckel, (of which it is undoubtedly the parent,) 
though in a less degree, and the growth of the tree also bears 
much affinity to that of our well known favourite, but the 
shoots are longer and grow more vigorously. The seeds are 
large and brown, and the fruit ripens the beginning of Sep- 
tember. It is much better on standard trees than on espaliers, 
but does not grow so large, and the trees can be readily pro- 
pagated on both pear and quince stocks ; and when they have 
attained to a suitable age for bearings they yield abundant 
crops. 



GREAT ROUSSELET. Pr. cat. Fok. 

Ro..Duh.Mil. 

Russelet. Quin ? Evel ? 

Large Rousselet. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Ronsselet, Poire du Rousselet, or The Rousselet. Mil. 

King of summer. 

This pear is two inches and' nine lines in height, and six 
lines less in its diameter, with a stem sixteen to eighteen lines 
in length, which is often implanted in a little cavity encom- 
passed by swellings or projections. The skin is green on the 
shade side, and brownish red next the sun, dotted all over 
with small grey points. The flesh is half-breaking, perfumed, 
somewhat acid and of agreeable taste. The seeds are elon- 
gated and the fruit ripens at the end of August or first part of 
September. The growth of the tree is vigorous, and it is 
propagated with equal facility on the quince as on the pear. 

WINTER ROUSSELET. Pr. cat. Mil. For. 

Rousselet d' hyver. Roz. Duh. Mil. 

Rousseleite d^yver. 

Winter russelet. Evel. Coxe ? 

This fruit is pyriform and two inches in height by eighteen 
lines in diameter. The eye is even with the extremity of the 



22 



PEARS. 



fruit, and the stem, which is six or eight lines in length, is in- 
serted in a small cavity. The skin is greenish on the shade 
side, and brownish red on that next the sun, the flesh is half- 
breaking, tolerably juicy, and of rather a rich taste ; the seeds 
are round, short, and of a light brown colour, and the fruit 
is at maturity in February and March. The tree is of very 
thrifty growth and succeeds on both pear and quince. Miller 
remarks that this pear is by some supposed to be the same as 
that called the Dry Martin, but that it is very different. 

BRITISH RUSSET. Auth. 

Roussette de Bretagne. N. Duh. Calvel. 
Bousselet de Grande Bretagne, Pr. cat. 7 

This fruit is turbinate and flattened at the head, where the 
eye is placed in a pretty deep cavity, and the stem is also 
inserted within a depression. The flesh is white, almost 
melting, with a partially acid flavour, and possesses a taste 
somewhat resembhng that of the Crasanne. It ripens in 
October and November, and the tree is vigorous. This 
variety, which is thus described in Duhamel, as different from 
the other pears cultivated in France, may no doubt (if it was 
carried from England) be synonymous with some one of the 
English pears described in their standard works. A pear has 
been recently imported into this country under the title given 
as the last synonyme, which I have thought it probable might 
refer to the same fruit, and I consequently subjoined it with an 
expression of doubt ; time not having yet elapsed suflicient 
for the necessary investigation. 

MUSCADELLE. N. Duh. 

Muscadelle d calyce caduque. 

This French Muscadelle pear is a small fruit, seventeen or 
eighteen lines in breadth and of nearly the same height, which 



PEARS. 



23 



renders it almost globular ; but occasionally it is pyriform, 
being twenty lines in height and about seventeen in diameter 
at the largest part ; but what most characterizes it, is, that the 
eye placed in a regular formed cavity, is always naked in con- 
sequence of the divisions of the calyx falling off, which in 
general remain stationary on other sorts of pears, but which 
in this case fall at an early period, or at any rate before the 
maturity of the fruit. The peduncle, which is thirteen or 
fourteen lines in length, is generally inserted somewhat late- 
rally, and in a slight cavity, at one side of which is a partial 
projection ; the skin is greenish for the most part, with a light 
tinge of russet only next the sun ; the flesh has some firmness, 
and is enriched with a small degree of pleasant musk flavour, 
The seeds are light brown, and the fruit ripens in July or 
early in August. 

LARGE MUSCADEL. Auth. 

Grosse Muscadelle. N. Duh. 

This second French variety of the Muscadelle does not ap- 
pear to differ from the preceding, except in its turbinate form 
and its peduncle, which is shorter and larger, and its eye on 
which the segments of the calyx are commonly persistent. In 
relation to other points, its size can scarcely be deemed any 
larger ; the skin is often the same colour, the taste and flavour 
similar, and it ripens at the same period. 

PERFUMED. Pr. cat. Foe. 

Parfum d'aout. Roz. Duh. 
August perfume. 

This is a small fruit, nearly pyriform, very much swollen at 
the base, and terminating pretty regularly in a truncate or 
obtuse point at the stem, which is eighteen lines in length and 
somewhat fleshy at its junction with the fruit ; the skin is lemon 



PEARS. 



colour, delicately touched with fawn colour on the shade side, 
and a fine deep red, dotted over with yellow points on the side 
exposed to the sun ; the flesh is highly musky and quite juicy ; 
the seeds are small, well perfected and of a brown hue, and 
the fruit ripens in August as its name ^indicates. The tree is 
productive, and succeeds on both quince and pear stocks. 

Miller describes his Perfumed pear differently from the fore- 
going, and probably does not refer to the same fruit ; he quotes 
Tourn. therefor, and refers to no other author. 

OGNONET. Pr.cat. Roz. Dua. Mil. 

ArcMuc d'^te, > „ -rw i n/r-i 

Amire roux, \ ^"h* ^^^^ 
Poire d'oignon. 

Gros ognonet, •\ 

Roy d^^te, erroneously, / 

Archduke of summer^ > Miller, and others. 

King of summer^ erroneously, i 

Brown admired, ^ 

Great onion pear. Mil. For. 

This pear is of a turbinate form; its height is twenty-twa 
lines, and its diameter the same ; it is somewhat flattened at 
the head, where the eye which is of medium size, is placed 
within a small cavity around which the form of the fruit is very 
even and regular ; the stem is short, not exceeding eight or 
ten lines ; the skin is shining, yellow on the shade side and 
bright red next the sun ; the flesh is half-breaking, and often 
gritty, but of high flavour ; the seeds are very pale coloured, 
and the fruit ripens at the beginning of August. 

OGNONET DE PROVENCE. N. Duh. 

Ognonet of Provence. 

This fruit in form greatly resembles the preceding, but is of 
smaller size, being only sixteen or seventeen lines in diameter, 
and about one line more in height, supported on a peduncle of 



PEARS, 



25 



twenty or twenty-one lines in length ; the skin is smooth, 
yellowish green on the shade side, and red or russet on the side 
next the sun ; the flesh is firm, breaking, and of a very plea- 
sant musk flavour. In Provence it ripens in July, and here 
will mature in August. 

ANGEL PEAR. Pjr. cat. 

Poire d^ange. Roz. Dub. 

This fruit is of turbinate form, its height being twenty-one 
lines and its diameter eighteen ; the eye is pretty large, and 
situated almost even with the fruit ; the stem, which is seven- 
teen lines in length, is slender and surrounded by projections 
at its junction ; the skin is yellowish green ; the flesh half- 
breaking, rather delicate and very musky. The seeds are 
black, and the fruit ripens the beginning of August. 

MUSK DRONE. Pr. cat. Mil. For. 

Bourdon musquee. Roz. Duh. Mil. Pr. cat. 2.'> ed. 
Bourdon, or Humble bee pear ? 
Orange d^et^^ 
Drone. Mil. 
Musky Bourdon, 

This pear is of a round shape, almost globular, a little flat- 
tened at the base, its height is seventeen lines and its breadth 
eighteen or nineteen ; the eye is tolerably large and placed in 
the centre of a pretty broad cavity ; sometimes the upper end 
is rather contracted, assuming the form of a top ; the skin is 
light green, scattered over with small points of a darker shade 
of the same colour ; the flesh is white, breaking, with consi- 
derablejuice, which possesses a musky flavour and some sweet- 
ness. The seeds are large and black, and the fruit matures in 
July; the tree is very productive, and can be ingrafted either 
on the pear or quince. 

4 



26 



PEARS. 



SUMMER BEAUTY. Pr. cat. 

SSe.'., \ ^0^- ^"l^- Mil. Fo. 

Bellissime, or Super-fair. Evel. 

Muscadelle Rouge, } 

The Fairest, or Supreme, ^ ^ ' 

Red Muscadelle. Mil. For. 

Red Muscadel, of some English collections. 

Beauty of summer. 

Poire fgue. Die. d'Agric. syn. (? Auth.) 

This pear, so called in France, and which I have latterly 
introduced, is very distinct from the one formerly cultivated 
by myself, and still generally cultivated by others under the 
same name. The latter appears to belong to either the Muscat 
or Muscadelle family described in this work. I am not fully 
certain that the Red Muscadelle of the English is the same as 
this, as there seems great confusion in the application of its 
synonymes. The fruit is twenty-four lines in height and twenty 
in diameter, and almost pyriform, having the base well rounded^ 
and the space where the eye is placed being rather flattened 
than hollowed. The skin is smooth and light green on the 
shade side, which attains a lemon colour at maturity, mingled 
with some tints of pale red ; the whole side exposed to the 
rays of the sun is of a very deep red colour ; the flesh is half- 
melting, sweet and of agreeable taste, but not high-flavoured^ 
The seeds are black, and the fruit ripens in July. The tree 
is of the most vigorous growth, and forms very strong and 
thrifty shoots the first year from the graft or bud, and may 
with equal ease be propagated on the quince and the pear. 

I quote the Red Muscadelle of the seventh edition of For- 
syth as a synonyme ; but the circumstance which he relates, a^ 
well as other English writers, that this tree produces two crops 
in a year, is not deemed correct. 

BLOODY. Evel. Pr. cat. 
Sanguinole. Quin. Evel. Roz. Duh. 
This fruit is twenty to twenty-four lines in height, and 



t 



PEARS. 27 

eighteen to twenty-two in diameter, with a stem rather more 
than an inch long, which rises from a small cavity ; the skin 
is grayish on the shade side, and slightly reddish next the sun, 
speckled (tiquete) all over with innumerable points or dots 
approaching a fawn colour ; the flesh is of a rosy hue, with 
but little flavour and rather insipid. This fruit ripens about 
the middle of August, and is a curiosity on account of the 
colour of its flesh, which it is to be regretted is not of supe- 
rior quality. 

RED FLOWERING. Pr. cat. 

Sanguine d' Italic. N. Duh. 

Sanguine, of various French publications. 

Poire Italic, 

This pear greatly resembles the preceding ; it is of turbi- 
nate form, being twenty-six lines in height and twenty-four in 
its greatest diameter; the eye is placed in a small cavity ; the 
peduncle is from eight to fourteen lines long and generally 
inserted somewhat laterally and not exactly at the apex of the 
fruit ; the flesh is firm, breaking, of a whitish and roseate hue, 
with some veins of deeper red. It has but little flavour and 
soon becomes soft. It ripens early in August, and the seeds 
are of a blackish brown colour. 

FIGUE, OR PETALLESS. Pk. cat. 

Poire Figue. Roz. Duh. 
Pistolette. 

Blossomless pear, or Pear without blossoms^ 

This fruit is pyriform, but very much elongated, being 
three inches in height, and but twenty-two lines in diame- 
ter ; the eye is placed in a slight cavity, and the size of the 
fruit diminishes towards the stem ; the skin is pretty even and 
regular, and of a brownish green hue even at its maturity ; 
the flesh is white, melting, sweet, and pleasant. The seeds 
are black and oblong, and the tree matures its fruit in Sep- 
tember. 



28 



PEARS. 



SMALL SUMMER THORN. Pr. cat. 

Petite epine d'itl. Dah. Pr. cat. 25 ed, 
Fondante musquie. Roz. Duh. syn. 
Epine d^ete petite. 
Epine d^ete. Roz. 
Satin vert, 

Bergiarda. Die. d'Agric. syn. 

This pear is of an exact pyramidal form, being twenty-three 
or twenty-four lines in height and twenty-five lines in breadth ; 
the peduncle is swollen or enlarged at the point of its junction, 
and that part of it becomes somewhat fleshy ; the eye is nearly 
or quite even with the surface of the fruit ; the skin even at 
maturity, is of a light green hue and perfectly smooth, but in 
some few cases acquires a slight tint of dull red on the sunny 
side ; the flesh is half-melting, replete with sweet juice, which 
also possesses a most agreeable perfume. The seeds are light 
brown, and the fruit ripens the beginning of August. 

GREAT SUMMER THORN. Auth. 

Grande ^pine d^ete. N. Duh. 

This fruit is three to three and a half inches in height, and 
twenty-four to twenty-eight lines in its greatest diameter ; it is 
rounded at the base and pointed at the summit ; the skin is 
delicate, almost wholly a yellowish green, and scattered over 
with numerous small dots of a deeper shade of the same colour; 
the flesh is half-melting and of a very agreeable musk flavour ; 
the seeds are very dark brown, and the fruit ripens at the end 
of August or beginning of September. 

SUMMER THORN OF THOULOUSE. Auth. 

Epine d^Et6 de Thoulouse. N. Duh. 

This pear diflers from the preceding in being of a turbinate 
form, of smaller size and more melting. It scarcely exceeds 



PEARS. 



29 



two inches in height, and its diameter is twenty-two lines, with 
a short stem, which is swollen at the part next the stalk, and 
likewise a little so at the other end where it unites with the 
fruit. The skin is greenish and not very even, on account of 
the dots and some grayish specks scattered here and there over 
its surface ; the flesh is very melting and sweet, with a little 
sharpness of flavour, which however is agreeable. The seeds 
are dark brown, and the fruit matures at the same period as 
the preceding. 



SAPIN. Roz. DuH, 
Coquillarde. 

This is a small pyriform fruit, flattened at its head, where 
the eye is placed in a pretty wide cavity of moderate depth ; 
the size of the fruit diminishes regularly, and terminates in an 
obtuse point at the stem, which is nearly an inch in length ; 
the skin is at first of a bright green hue, but becomes yellow 
at perfect maturity ; the flesh is white and rather coarse, with 
but little juice — it is sHghtly perfumed, but does not possess 
much flavour ; the seeds are dark brown, and the fruit ripens 
at the end of July. 



DOUBLE HEADED. Evel. Pr. cat« 



Two headed. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 
Poire a deux tetes. Roz. Duh. 



Deux tetes. 
Double calice. 



Double headed. 

This fruit is of a turbinate shape, and but seldom well and 
regularly formed ; it is twenty-six lines in height and twenty- 
five in diameter, with a large stem varying from ten to twenty 
lines in length, and often somewhat fleshy at its junction — it 
is inserted obliquely in the fruit, and partly covered on one 
side by a fleshy excrescence terminating nearly in a point ; the 
eye is placed in a raised position, formed by a number of small 
swellings or projections ; it is large and oval, with the appear- 



30 



PEARS. 



ance of being divided in two parts, from which circumstance 
this pear has received the title of Deux-teies, or Two-headedy 
which is not however sufficiently precise, and it might better 
have been called Deux-yeux, or Two-eyed, The skin is 
smooth and green, approaching to yellow on the shade side, 
and washed with brownish red next the sun ; the flesh is white, 
not very delicate, tolerably juicy and slightly perfumed, but 
often a little tart. The seeds are black, and the fruit ripens 
at Paris at the end of July. 

SUMMER ST. GERMAIN. Pr. cat. 

Saint Germain d^EU. N. Duh. Van Mons ? 
Jargonelle, of Provence. 

The skin of this pear is entirely of a fine lemon colour, 
without any mixture of other shades, except some very small 
grayish or fawn-coloured specks, which are more or less scat- 
tered over it ; the fruit is of a very elongated pyriform shape, 
being three inches and three or four lines in height, and twen- 
ty-six lines in diameter ; the eye is nearly even with the extre- 
mity of the fruit, and the stem is twelve to fifteen lines in 
length, and has almost invariably a somewhat lateral position. 
The flesh is melting, sweet, and perfumed, with a little acidity 
in its flavour, which is not at all unpleasant, but assimilates its 
whole taste very much to that of the Crasanne : the seeds are 
brown, and the fruit matures early in August. 

In the new edition of Duhamel, where I have found this 
pear described, it is extolled as a most excellent fruit, whose 
culture merits to be extended to all the departments of France, 
it being as yet but partially known and cultivated even in that 
country. 

BEAUTY OF SUMMER. Auth. 
Belle d'ete, N. Duh. 

Bellissime d^ete de Provence. Pr. cat. 25 ed. ? 
This pear is of fine form ; it is globular for two thirds of 



31 



its length next the base, and very much contracted at the point 
of junction with the peduncle, where it terminates in a pyra- 
midal shape. It is altogether three and a half inches in height 
and twenty-eight lines in its greatest diameter, but at an inch 
below the stem its diameter does not exceed twelve lines ; the 
stem is about fifteen lines in length, and almost invariably 
inserted in rather a lateral direction and within a small cavity ; 
the eye is even with the fruit, surrounded with many small 
sweHings which extend to the middle of the fruit or further, 
and form in the course of its height several undulations or 
slightly projecting ridges. The flesh is firm, rather sweet, 
and moderately perfumed ; the seeds are dark brown and often 
one half abortive. This fruit ripens at the middle of August. 
It has been cultivated for some time at the Jardin des Plantes 
at Paris, under the title of Bellissime d^tU^ a name which be- 
longs to a very different fruit. 



CASSOLETTE. Pe.cat. Quin. Evel. Roz. O. Duh. Mil. For, 



Petite cassolette. N. Duh. 
Friolet, ^ 

Muscat-vert, > Quin. Roz. Duh. syn. Mil. 
L^chefrion, ) 

Mus^rZt \ "^'"'P^^^ quotations of some authors. 
Small Cassolette. 

Green Muscat, or Eche frion, Evel. 

This pear is frequently very small, and but nineteen to 
twenty lines in height and sixteen in diameter ; at other times, 
as Duhamel remarks, it is above two inches in height and 
twenty lines in diameter. Its general shape is pyriform, 
rounded at the head ; at the other extremity is a small cavity, 
of very even form, from which rises the peduncle whose length 
is from five to seven lines. The skin is bright green, with a 
very little red on the sunny side ; the flesh is firm and break- 
ing, but delicate notwithstanding, and of a sweet and musky 
flavour. The seeds are brown, and the fruit ripens at the end 
of August. 



3^2 



Duhamel speaks* of a sub-variety of this pear of large? 
size, but possessing less excellence. It is pyriform, a little 
rounded at the base where there are some swellings, amid 
which the eye is inserted ; its height is two inches and nine 
lines, and its diameter twenty-seven lines; the stem is fre- 
quently accompanied by a small swelling at the place of its 
junction with the fruit ; the skin is green and rather smooth, 
although it is dotted over with numerous points of a greenish 
brown hue, and the side next the sun has a slight touch of rus- 
set ; the flesh is half-breaking, rather dry, and of a musky 
flavour. This fruit ripens the beginning of September. 

GREAT CASSOLETTE. Auth. 

Grosse Cassolette. N.Duh. 

This pear has the form of a top, and is twenty-six lines in 
height and twenty-seven in breadth; the eye is somewhat 
sunken within a cavity whose border is very even and regular, 
and the stem, which is altogether sixteen or eighteen lines in 
length, is also placed in a cavity, and that part which joins the 
fruit is swelled in a remarkable manner. The skin is entirely 
of a light green, even at perfect maturity, and is dotted all 
over with numerous greenish specks ; the flesh is melting, of 
a very peculiar acid flavour, which however is no wise disa- 
greeable when the fruit is perfectly ripe, which takes place 
about the middle of August. 

SALVIATI. Pr.cat. Roz, Duh. Mil. For. Coxe. 

Perfumed, of some American collections. 

This pear is neiarly globular, the height but little exceeding 
the breadth, its diameter being two inches and its height twen- 
ty-three lines ; it frequently has a small furrow upon one side, 
which runs from the summit to the base of the fruit ; the stem 
is twelve to fifteen lines in length, and implanted in a small 
contracted cavity, and the eye at the opposite extremity is 
situated in a wide depression, which is surrounded by some 



small ridges ; the skin is light yellow, dotted over with very 
small russet points, and sometimes marked with a little red on 
the sunny side ; the flesh is breaking and of a very agreeable 
musk flavour ; the seeds are brown, and the fruit ripens at the 
end of August. 

SALVIATI DE PROVENCE. N. Dun. 

This fruit is of a turbinate form, wliich in some eases 
assumes that of a spheroid somewhat flattened ; it is usually 
twenty-nine or thirty Hues in diameter, and twenty-four to 
twenty- six in height, with a short stem inserted in a depression 
scarcely perceptible, and the eye is situated in a wide cavity 
with a smooth border around it. The skin is entirely of a 
lemon colour, dotted over with small fawn-coloured or grayish 
specks ; the flesh is firm, breaking, and of a sweet and musky 
flavour. The seeds are light brown, and the fruit ripens in 
August. Duhamel states that he received it under the name 
of Mmcat-Jleuri, which is a very different fruit, and that from 
its great resemblance to the Salviati, he gave it the title here 
adopted. 



ROBINE. EvEL. Roz. Duh. Pk. cat. 

Royal mmmer. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Royale d^ete, Roz. syn. Duh. syn. 

Robine, Averat, Poire Royale, Muscat d^aouU Quin. r 

Averat, Pear Royal,. Muscat pear of August, Evel. 

Avorat. For. 

Avorat, Robine, Muscat d''aoust, August muscat, ^ 
Poire (VAver tt, Averat pear. Poire rotate, Royal Pear, ^ * ' 

This pear has the form of a top, and its height, which is 
nearly equal to its diameter, is but twenty-two lines ; the eye 
is placed in a cavity which is pretty deep and very wide, and 
the stem may rather be considered as surrounded by protube- 
rances or swellings than as placed in a depression ; the skin 
is whitish green, speckled with brownish green, and becomes 
yellow at maturity ; the flesli is half-breaking, rather dry, and 



34 PEARS. 

• 

of a sweet and musky flavour ; the fruit is at maturity during 
the month >{' Aug-ust. 

We have received from Provence, says the Ni w Duham 1, a 
Robine pear, which differs a little from the one just described, 
not in respect to the size and form which are decidedly the same, 
but because the stem rises from a cavity whose edges are even and 
regular ; the eye less deeply sunk, and the skin remains green 
when the fruit is at perfect maturity, and even when it becomes 
soft. Duhame] in the original edition, when speaking of the 
Kobine pear, says that it does not readily become soft and 
decay. 

GRISE BONNE. Evel. Roz. Duh. Coxe. 

Good gray pear. 
Ambrette d^et^, 
Crapaudme. Quin. Evel. 

Toad pear, Gr iy good, or Summer Amhrefte. Evel. 
Rude Epee. 

This is a fruit of moderate size, of an oblong and somewhat 
cucumber form, being thirty lines in height by twenty-two in 
breadth ; the head is quite round, and the eye is placed even 
with the extremity ; the stem is large, from nine to twelve lines 
in length, and rises obliquely from a small cavity ; the skin is 
of a greenish gray, speckled with whitish dots over the whole 
surface and touched in some places with russet ; the flesh is 
melting, rich and sweet, and the fruit is ripe during the month 
of August. 

GHAIR A DAME. Pr. cat. Quin. Evel. Roz. Duh. For. 

Chere Adame. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. 
Lady flesh. Evel. 

This pear is twenty-six lines in height and twenty-two in 
diameter, with a large short stem, not exceeding at most nine 
lines in length, and almost invariably placed obliquely in the 
fruit amid some small protuberances. The skin is yellow, 



PEARS. «>i> 

spotted with gray and marbled with lig'^^ red on the sunny 
side ; the flesh is half-breaking, pleasant, and agreeably en- 
riched with a slight perfume ; the seeds are oblong and black, 
and the fruit ripens the middle of August. The tree is vigo- 
rous and productive, and may be propagated on both the pear 
and the quince. 

THE PRINCE'S PEAR. Mil. For. Pe. cat. 
Poir de Prince. Mil. For. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Although a French origin seems to be claimed for this fruit. 
I cannot find it mentioned by Duhamel, nor in the Jardin 
Fruitier, Bon Jardinier, &ic., neither is it enumerated in any 
French catalogue that has met my eye; it is consequently to 
l)e inferred either that it originated and received its title in 
some other country, or that it is known in France under a dif- 
ferent name. Forsyth remarks that it is said to be the same 
with the Chair d dame pear, a comparison with which had 
better therefore be instituted, and will receive my a^ention. 
He however describes it differently from that fruit as follows : 

" This is a small roundish pear, of a bright red colour next 
the sun, but of a yellowish colour on the other side ; the flesh 
is between breaking an elti g, the juice very high-fla- 
voured. It is a great bearer, and ripens the middle of Sep- 
tember, but will keep a fortnight good, which few summer 
pears will do." In this country it ripens in August. 

Miller describes this pear without referring to any author 
even for its French title. Forsyth and others follow him, and 
thence we have the description in several works without any 
original reference. From this and other circumstances we 
may reasonably suppose it synonymous with some other des- 
cribed variety. The Admiral pear is stated by Quintinye and 
Evelyn to have been also called the Prince pear, and I don't 
recollect that any other author makes use of the title before 
Miller, 



36 



PEAKS. 



EGG PEAR. Pe. gat. 

Poire d^muf. Roz. Duh. Pr. cat. 25 ed, 
Colmar d^ete» 
Eyer pear. 

Swan's egg. For. Coxe, a very dubious synonyme. 

This fruit is of ovate form, and is nineteen lines in height 
and fifteen to sixteen in diameter, with a slender stem about an 
inch long, which is placed in a kind of funnel-shaped cavity ; 
the skin on the shaded part is yellowish green scattered over 
with russet touches, and the side next the sun is of a reddish 
hue ; the flesh is half-melting, sweet, partially musky, and very 
agreeable to the taste. The seeds have but little colour, and 
the fruit ripens at the end of August or early in the ensuing 
month. The tree is but moderately productive, and succeeds 
only on the pear stock. 

BEZI D'HERY. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. Mil, 

Besideri, Mil. 
Besidei'y. Quin. Evel. 
Bezy d'Hery. For. and others. 
Wilding of Hery. 

This fruit is in most instances regularly rounded, being 
from twenty-nine to thirty lines in diameter, and a line less in 
height, but sometimes it is more elongated, being contracted 
both at the base and the summit, and attains within a line of 
three inches in height without any increase in diameter over 
that already stated. The eye is almost even with the base of 
the fruit, or placed in a very shallow depression; and the stem, 
which is fourteen lines in length, rises from a very small cavity. 
The skin is even and regular, pale green, changing to light 
yellow at maturity, and on the sun side becomes mottled with 
red ; . the flesh is firm, half-breaking, rather dry, with a sweet 
taste, and enriched by an agreeable musky flavour. The 
seeds are oblong and of a dark brown hue, and the fruit ripens 
in October and November. 



PEARS. 



S7 



This pear takes its name from Hery, a forest in Bretagne, 
between Rennes and Nantes, where it was first discovered. 

BASSIN. DuH. 

This pear is thirty lines in height and twenty-four in breadth, 
and is pretty regularly pyriform. The skin is a fawn-green 
on the shade side and dull red next the sun, and this redness 
often extends over a great part of the fruit, which is covered 
with very numerous small grayish dots ; the flesh is firm, of a 
very sharp flavour which combines with it some acidity, thereby 
rendering it not very pleasant to the taste. The fruit ripens 
at the end of August or early in the following month, and soon 
becomes soft. 

POIRE DES CHARTREUX. Dun. 

Poire des champs des Chartreux, of some French catalogues. 

The height of this fruit is two and a half inches and its 
diameter twenty-six lines ; it is very round at its base, in which 
the eye is placed in a cavity scarcely apparent ; the stem is 
eighteen lines in length and swollen at the point of junction 
with the fruit; the skin is entirely of a pale yellow colour, 
dotted over with very small russet specks ; the flesh is half- 
breaking and somewhat melting, with a sweet and pleasant 
flavour. The seeds are brown or blackish, and the fruit ripens 
at the end of August. 

AH ! MON DIEU. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. 

Mon Dieu. Quin. 1 The my God pear. Evel. 

Mandieu. | Poire d'' Amour, erroReously. 

Poire d^Ahondance. Die. d'Agric. syn. 

This fruit is twenty- four to twenty-six lines in height and 
twenty-two to twenty-four in diameter, with a stem fifteen to 
eighteen lines in length ; its skin is light yellow on the shade 
side, and dotted over next the sun with bright red points, 



38 



very near together. The s«eds are very dark brown, the fruit 
ripens at the end of August or beginning of September, and 
the crops produced by trees of this kind are generally very 
great. 

This has been supposed by some persons to be the same as 
the Poire d^ainour, but the differences will be perceived by re- 
ferring to the description of that fruit. 

StJMMER ROSE. Pom. mag. Pa. cat. 

3pine rose. Roz. Duh. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Po>re de rose. Quin Roz syn Duh. syn. Mil. 

Rosenhirne Kraft. Pom Austr. 

The rose pear Evel Mil. 

Epine rose d^ete, ^ 

Poire d^e !u rose, J 

Caillor rosfit, f of vcrious publications and coUec- 

Poire d'ognoa, ^ tions. 

Poire tulipee \ 

Poire de Malthe, ^ 

Rose, Epine rose. Mil For. 

Thorny rose Mil. 

Epim d^ete, > of some collections according to the 
Cailleau Rosnt, \ Pom Mag. 

I extract the following descriptive remarks in relation to 
this very valuable early pear, which I introduced a few years 
since to this country, from the Pomological Magazine. Of 
the synonymes enumerated, six ai-e according to the Magazine 
referred to, and the other eight I have added myself. 

The French gardeners have a class of pears which they 
call Cailleaux, in consequence of the resemblance their speck- 
led appearance gives them to the caille, or quail. To this 
class belongs the subject of the present article, which is even 
as Duhamel informs us, sometimes called the CaiDeau Rosat, 
a name however which belongs of right to another variety, 
ripening in the end of September. 

" There is no doubt about the synonymes above quoted, but 
it is necessary to remark that this is not the Epine Rose or 
Rosendorne of Mayer's Pomona Franconica, t. 22, which 



PEARS. 



as Mr. Thompson has justly pointed out, is a long fruitj 
although that writer quotes DuhamePs synonyme without 
scruple. 

" We have not adopted the name of Onion-shaped pear, 
which would have been a more expressive name, because the 
French apply that term both to pears having the peculiar flat- 
tened figure of this, and to others which grow in such clusters . 
upon the branches that the latter resemble a string of onions, 

" The figure of this is that of an apple rather than of a pear, 
and it is said by a French writer to be so in a greater degree 
than any other pear he knows. A most excellent and beau- 
tiful variety, not indeed to be compared with the Jargonelle 
(Epargne) with which it ripens, but greatly superior to any of 
the kinds commonly cultivated which are in eating at the same 
time. It bears well as a standard. In perfection from the 
lOth to the end of August. 

" Wood weak, deep chestnut-red, with distinct pale yellowish- 
brown spots ; leaves heart-shaped, ovate, nearly flat, shining, 
deep green, very slightly toothed ; petioles about an inch long; 
flowers early, petals roundish ovate ; fruit depressed, middle 
sized, with a slender stalk upwards of an inch long inserted in 
a small roundish hollow ; eye open, placed in a shallow depres- 
sion ; skin inclining to yellow, speckled with russet ; on the 
sunny side bright rich red, intermixed with brownish spots ; 
flesh white, juicy, rich, and sugary." 

I now proceed to give the description of this pear as de- 
tailed in the New Duhamel. 

"The diameter of the fruit is twenty-eight to thirty lines, 
and its height but twenty-four to twenty-six, its form being 
that of a globe somewhat flattened, with a small cavity at the 
part whence the stem rises, which is fifteen to eighteen lines in 
length ; the skin is yellowish green, scattered over with gray- 
ish points, and on the side exposed to the sun it is brownish- 
red ; the flesh is sweet, half-melting, partially musky and very 
agreeable ; the seeds are black and sometimes entirely abor- 
tive, and the fruit ripens the middle of August." 

The assertion made in the Pomological Magazine, that Du- 



40 



rEARfe. 



Iiamel states this pear to be sometimes called Cailleau Rosal, 
is derived from a rather forced construction, for having that 
work now before me, I can find no such synonyme or remark 
mentioned. He however states, that it is sometimes called 
Caillot rosatf a title which if I mistake n6t, claims a different 
derivation and application from that allotted to the appellation 
misquoted. The Caillot-rosat, Rosie pebble, Rosewater, or 
Pera del Campo, is distinguished from the Poire de Rose as 
far back as the time of Quintinye and Evelyn, and mention 
^ made by both those authors ; but it is not described separately 
either by Rozier or in the New Duhamel, which would seem to 
indicate some doubt as to their being distinct varieties. 

RED ORANGE. Pe. cat. Mil. For. 

Orange rouge. Roz. Duh. Mil. 
Orange d'a to nne. 
Orange. Mil. 

This pear is almost globular, having a little more breadth 
than height ; the former measuring from twenty-six to twenty- 
eight lines, and the latter about two inches. The stem is large, 
and but six or seven lines in length. The skin is whitish, 
touched over with greenish points on the shade side, and of a 
beautiful coral colour next the sun, and frequently over two 
thirds of the surface. The flesh is half-breaking and of a sweet, 
rich and very pleasant flavour. The fruit ripens the latter 
part of August, and soon becomes soft, 

MUSK ORANGE. Pr. cat. Mil. For. 

Orange musk. Mil. For. Pr. cat. 25 (;d. 
Oran e masqu^e. Roz. Duh. Mil. Coxe. 

Oi^ange d'^te. 

This fruit varies but little in form from the preceding one, 
but is rather smaller, and its skin, which is a pale whitish 
yellow on the shade side, is only washed with a very light red 
next the sun. The flesh is breaking, and of a very agreeable 
musky flavour. It ripens in the course of the month of August. 
Miller describes this variety under two distinct heads, (see Mil. 



41 



Gard. Die. No. 9 and 18) and quotes the same pear in Duha- 
mel in both cases, although he himself gives different descrip- 
tions of it. Forsytli, it will be perceived, follows him by co- 
pying the error. 

TURKISH PEAR. Pr. cat. 
Poire Turque. Duh. 

Bonchretien Turc, > ? Bon Jard. and Vfirious European 
Bon Chretien Turc, I catalogues. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 
Turkish Bonchretien. 1 

This pear, which is cultivated at the Jardin des Plantes at 
Paris, under the title of Bon Chretien Turc, whence it was 
sent to a friend who transmitted it to me, Duhamel remarks, 
has no affinity to either the Summer or the Winter Bonchretien, 
but has far more resemblance to the Epine-rose, being of the 
same form, and nearly the same size and colour. The most 
essential difference is in the character of its flesh, which is of a 
more firm consistence, and of a flavour not equally high and 
perfumed. This fruit ripens in the course of the month of 
August. It seems difiicult to reconcile the above remarks 
with the facts that are stated in the Bon Jardinler, published 
at Paris, a work professedly edited by intelligent horticultur- 
ists. In that publication it is remarked, that the Bon Chre- 
tien Turc is the most beautiful and the largest of all the varie- 
ties of the same class. It may possibly be the case that two 
distinct varieties are referred to by the respective wi'iters, which 
have been confused under the same title ; and as the Bon Chre- 
tien de Vernois is asserted to be synonymous with the B. Turc, 
this supposition is rendered still more probable. 

WINTER ORANGE. Evel. Pr. cat. 

Orange d'hyver. Quin. Roz. Duh. For. 

Tlie form of this pear is somewhat globular, and flattened 
both at the summit and base. It is two inches in height, and 

6 



4-2 



PEARS. 



twenty-seven lines in diameter. The eye is but partially depres- 
sed, being nearly even with the fruit ; and the stem, which is 
large and six or seven lines in length, is inserted at the bottom 
of a small cavity. 

The skin is very thin, of a brownish green, becoming some- 
what paler at its maturity, scattered over with very small dots 
of a darker shade of brownish green, and raised here and there 
by pimples, and sometimes by very projecting warts. The 
flesh is white, breaking, not gritty, of an exceeding musky and 
very agreeable flavour. The seeds are brown, oblong, pointed, 
and well matured, and are contained in broad cells. This 
fruit ripens in February, March, and April. The tree is rather 
vigorous, and may be grafted on both pear and quince. 

I have also a variety in my collection which was sent to me 
from one of the first establishments in France, under the title 
of Orange rouge hyver^ but whose fruit I have not yet 
seen. 

STRIPED ORANGE. Pr. cat. 

Orange tnlipee. Roz. Duh. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Poire tulipee, Quin. Mil. 

Poire aux mouches. Quin. Roz. Duh. syn. 

Taliped or Fly pear. Evel. 

Sigarrade. Mil. For. 

Tulip pear — Great orange, } j^j- j 

La villaine d^Anjou, ^ ' 

This fruit is of oval form, terminating in a point at the stem, 
and resembling the Doyenne family, consequently its height 
exceeds its diameter more or less. The former usually mea- 
sures near three inches, and the latter two inches and six lines. 
The stem is large and short, often only six lines in length, and 
is situated in a cavity, surrounded with some small projections. 
The eye is in a pretty broad and deep depression. The skin 
is green on the shade side, and ^jrownish red next the sun, with 
some red stripes between the red and the green. The whole 
surface is also covered with grayish spots, which render it 
somewhat rough to the touch. The flesh is half-breaking, 
succulent, and of rather pleasant taste, although there is a little 



PEARS. 



43 



tartness in the flavour. The seeds are long and slender, and 
the fruit ripens at the beginning of September. The tree 
propagates both on the quince and pear. Quintinye and 
Evelyn arrange the Tuliped or Fly Pear, and the Villain 
Pear of Anjou, as distinct fruits ; but Miller, it will be per- 
ceived, unites them, and from what authority I know not. 



WHITE DOYENNE. Pom. mag. Pr. cat. 

Virgalieu, Doyenne, St. Michael, S^c, Pr. cat. 25 ed. 
Doyenne, Beurre hlanc, or St. Michael. Roz. 
Doyenne. Quin. Duh. Mil. For. 
Doyenne, Dean's, or St. Michael. Evel. 
Doyenne hlanc. Lend. Hort. See. cat. 
Beurre hlanc, \ 

Saint Michel, > Duh. syn. Mil. syn. 
Bonne-ente, ) 

Beurr6 doyenne hlanc, of some French catalogues. 
St, Michel. Quin. syn. 
Beurre hlanc d^automne, ^ 
White or autumn butter pear, > Mil. syn. 
Snow pear, y 
St.MichaeVs. Mil. Fes. Amer. Gard. 
Dean's pear. Mil. syn. and others. 
Poire de neige. Mil. syn. and others. 
Valencia or Valentia. Mil. syn. and others. 
Carlisle. Mil. syn. and others. 
Poire de Limon, 
Poire Monsieur, 
Poire a, courte queue, 

CitrondeSeptemlre, \ ^^^-^^^ collections. 
Poire de Seigneur, 
White hutter. 
White heurre, 
Kaiserhirne, 
Die weisse herhst hutterhirne. Christ. 
Yellow hutter, Beurre doree, or St. Michaels. Coxe. 

B^urgllue, \ ^^^^ American gardens. 
Garner, or Gardner, of the state of Rhode Island. 

I extract the following description from the Pomological 
Magazine. " This is a very old and excellent pear, which has 
so long been a favourite with cultivators, especially in France 
and Germany, that its names have become in themselves a 



44 



PEARS, 



catalogue ; it is a great and certain bearer, ripens (in Eng- 
land) from the end of September to the third week in October, 
and is of first rate quality as a juicy melting sort. It is one of 
the very best to graft upon the quince, and to cultivate en 
quenoiiille. It is almost to be doubted whether Miller really 
knew it, although he quotes it, since he calls it an indifferent 
fruit, which he would have scarcely done, had he been ac- 
quainted with the true kind. During the time when it is in 
season, it yields to none in excellence. This must by no 
means be confounded with the Doyenne gris, or Red Doyenne, 
w^hich is rounded and keeps better, but is of inferior quality. 

Wood strong, bright chestnut colour, with brown spots ; 
leaves lanceolate, folded together, recurved, with fine regular 
serratures ; stipules linear, at some distance above the base of 
the petiole, which is slender and of a whitish colour ; fruit 
middle-sized, roundish oblong, narrowest at the stalk which is 
about half an inch long and rather thick, inserted in a small 
cavity ; eye placed in a shallow impression ; skin pale citron 
yellow, sprinkled throughout with cinnamon more or less ac- 
cording to its situation ; flesh white, juicy, very buttery and 
delicious." 

I now proceed to give the description from Duhamel : 
*' This pear is of handsome form ; it is well rounded, the 
largest part being towards the head at about one third of its 
height, from which it diminishes to the stem ; it is two inches 
and six lines to three inches in height, its diameter in the 
broadest part is generally about three lines less than two 
inches ; the stem is large and strong, and only six or seven 
lines long ; the eye is small and placed in a slight cavity ; the 
skin is at first a greenish white, but becomes bright yellow in 
ripening— -sometimes the side next the sun is a bright red co- 
lour ; the flesh is melting, sweet, very agreeable, and often 
somewhat perfumed ; it soon becomes stringy, and then loses 
a great part of its excellence. The fruit ripens at the end of 
September, and is frequently in eating during the month of 
October ; the tree is very productive, and may be propagated 
on cither pear or quince," 



PEARS. 



45 



Many of the intelligent horticulturists around Boston have 
ceased to cultivate this variety on account of the fruit pro- 
duced being small and knotty, a difficulty that perhaps may 
be remedied by pursuing the same course recommended for the 
Summer Bonchretien. 

In the vicinity of the city of New- York and on Long 
Island this variety of the pear is more extensively cultivated 
than any other, and most of the very ancient ingrafted trees 
there met with are of this description, where from time imme- 
morial it has borne the title of the Virgalieu pear. How this 
name originated, and whether it was brought by the ancient 
Dutch settlers, or by some of the numerous French emigrants 
at the revocation of the edict of Nantz, it seems impossible 
iiow to determine ; suffice it to say, that by that title and cor- 
ruptions thereof, it has been solely known in the localities re- 
ferred to from the remotest period of its probable introduction. 
I am thus particular because there has been some cavilling at 
the application of this title in the New- York nursery catalogues ; 
and it has been also said that the name belonged to another 
fruit, and in support of the latter position, a misnomer never 
adopted here has been advanced for the real one, and by an 
erroneous statement at the outset that the horticulturists of this 
vicinity called this fruit the Virgouleuse, a miraculous misap- 
plication has been made out where none existed. 

In support of the correctness of adopting the title of Vir- 
galieUf which long custom had established and by which it 
was alone known to the inhabitants of this state and adjoining 
districts of other states, numerous instances may be cited of 
fruits originally introduced into England and other countries 
under erroneous titles and long cultivated by those names, where 
it has been deemed a matter of necessity to retain them, and 
they have been consequently adopted by their most intelligent 
writers on horticulture. A very striking instance of this kind 
is that of the Jargonelle pear, (so called in England) which is the 
Epargne, or Grosse cuisse madame of France, the error in re- 
gard to which has been recorded for more than an age in English 
works without any attempt to rectify it,from the circumstance that 



46 



PEARS. 



usage had too firmly established it, and this erroneous title is 
consequently continued in the Pomological Magazine and 
every other English author, although there has existed in 
England during the whole period a French pear to which it 
was well known this title had been originally applied in its na- 
tive country, and by which alone it was there recognised. 
But in the present case even the danger of confusion does not 
exist, because the title adopted had never been applied to any 
other variety, and in publications emanating from myself all 
the other most important synonymes were invariably subjoined 
to the one referred to. 

It is stated in Fessenden's American Gardener, that at Bos- 
ton this pear was till lately the pride of their gardens, but that 
causes unknown have for ten successive years blighted its 
fruit ; yet he advises the continued culture of it, because they 
have seen the peach, after fifteen years of failure, resume its 
wonted fertihty and vigour. 



GRAY DOYENNE. Pom. mag. Pr. cat. 

DoyennS gris. Roz. O. Duh. For, Pr. cat. 25 ed. 
Doyenne roux. N. Duh. 

Le beurre, > some French collections. 

Beurr^ doyenne roux, ^ 

Red doyenne, of some English catalogues. 

Late Virgalieu, of some American collections. 

Doyenne d^automne, of some European collections. 

Doyenne galeux. Nos. cat. and some American catalogues ? 

The following description is from the Fomological Maga- 
zine, published in London. 

" This variety is often confounded with the White Doyenne 
already described. The flowers, wood, and leaves are almost 
the same as those of that variety ; the fruit not so large as 
that, but of a similar form ; skin covered with a bright cinna- 
mon russet, and occasionally in high ripened specimens, red 
next the sun ; flesh scarcely so white as that of the preceding 
sort, rich, melting, and sugary. 

We think that this is scarcely so good as the White Doy- 



PEARS. 



47 



enne when that variety is taken at its best ; but its period of 
perfection is so short, that this, which will keep much longer 
and also possesses much excellence of flavour, may perhaps be 
considered the most useful. It is a very great bearer grafted 
on the quince, and as it is very handsome and ripens immedi- 
ately after the white variety , no collection should be without it." 
I now add the description given in Duhamel : 
" This fruit is large, of a form slightly ovate, being rather 
more narrow at the end next the stalk ; it is usuallv three inches 
in height and two inches and four lines in breadth, but they 
occasionally find some which are one fourth larger every way ; 
the stem is an inch long and inserted even with the surface of 
the fruit, and generally in a somewhat lateral direction ; the 
skin is green, with abundance of broad gray spots, but ac- 
quires a dull red hue on the sun side ; the flesh is very melting, 
sweet, combined with a partial degree of acidity, and extremely 
agreeable. The seeds are dark brown, and the fruit, which is 
one of the best kinds, ripens in the course of the month of 
September." 

The Poraological Magazine 'places the Doyenne roux of 
the French and the Red Doyenne of the English catalogues as 
synonymes, which by previous authors had been considered 
distinct. Having long cultivated this variety, I can state from 
experience that the fruit is almost invariably of fair form and 
good size, being full as large on the average as the one previ- 
ously described. The advantage of its keeping so much 
longer renders this far preferable for a market fruit, and some 
of the farmers of this vicinity preserve the pears until late in 
November and even December, when they are of most beau- 
tiful appearance and command an exceedingly high price. 
Wherever the culture of the St. Michael is discontinued, this 
should be the fruit to take its place, which it is so well calcu- 
lated to fill. 

It is remarked by French writers that the diflferent varieties 
of Beurre pears should be gathered from the tree before matu- 
rity and ripened in the house, which is the course generally 
pursued in this vicinity. 



48 



PEARS. 



BEURRE BLANC. Duh. Pr. cat. 

Duhamel describes this as a variety distinct from the White 
Doyenne, although under that head he quotes the same title 
as a synonyme frequently applied to that variety. The Po- 
mological Magazine does not quote Duhamel for this as a 
synonyme, and therefore leaves it to be inferred that it is distinct. 

In the new Duhamel this fruit is described as bearing a per- 
fect resemblance in size and form to the Beurre gris, or Crray 
Doyenne last described, and only differing in point of colour, 
the skin being yellowish white on the shade side and washed 
with very light red next the sun. With regard to the taste, 
it is the same as that of the preceding ; but sometimes not 
quite equal in flavour. This fruit ripens during the pionth of 
September. 

I have had it under culture for some years and find the trees 
thrifty and productive, but have not yet sufficiently compared 
the fruit with the two preceding varieties to decide upon any 
differences from my own experience. 

BEZI DE MONTIGNY. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. For. 

Trouve de Montigny. 

This pear in its form bears much resemblance to the White 
Doyenne, but it is usually rather longer, being thirty-four to 
thirty-six lines in height and twenty-six to twenty-seven lines 
in its greatest diameter. The eye is situated nearly even with 
the surface of the fruit, and the stem, which is nine or ten 
lines in length, rises somewhat laterally from a small cavity 
with rounded edges ; the skin is very smooth and even, of a 
light green hue, which at the period of maturity becomes a 
lemon colour, and is dotted over with gray specks which are 
small and numerous ; the flesh is melting, with abundance of 
musky juice, and quite agreeable ; the seeds are dark brown, 
and the fruit ripens at the end of September or early in 
October. 



■1PEARS. 



FRANGIPANE. Pr. cat. Roz. Coxe. 

FrancMpane. Duh. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

This pear is of very regular form, measuring thirty to thir- 
ty-three lines in height and twenty-two to twenty-five lines in 
its greatest diameter, with a stem always rather short, rarely 
exceeding sixer eight lines in length, and much larger at the 
'extremity where it unites to the trecc The skin is a lemon 
colour on the shade side, but red next the sun, and scattered 
almost entirely over with greyish specks ; the flesh is half- 
melting, of a rich and agreeable flavour, accompanied by a 
little sharpness ; the fruit attains to maturity in September, and 
its title originated from a real or imaginary resemblance in the 
taste to the kind ©f French pastry called Franchipane. 

BROWN BEURRE. Pe. cat. Mil. Foe: Pom. mag. Coxe. 

Beurre. Roz. Duh. 
Beurr€ gris, or grise, ^ 

Beurre dore, > of all authors from Quintinye down. 

Beurre rouge, J 

Golden Beurre. For. and others. 

True golden Beurre. For. 

Red butter, J 

Gray butter, V Evel. Mil. and others. 
Green butter, j 

Amboise, or Vamboise, ^ r\ • r' i n 

Isambert,ofNormund^,\ Q^^»-«y«- Evel. syn. Roz. syH. 
Beurre mrt, ) ^" ^y"* 

Grey Beurre. Fessenden's Amer. Gard. 

This is one of the choicest fruits our gardens can boast, and 
it has been justly remarked, that there can scarcely be found 
any pear of autumn or winter that is superior to it. In 
England, however, it is not sufiiciently hardy to bear as 
a standard, and they are under the consequent necessity of 
training it as a wall-fruit. Its period of ripening is about 
the end of September, and it will not keep very long. 

In Fessenden's American Gardener it is remarked, that this 

1 



50 



PEARS. 



*' is in Boston the prince of pears, but of no value in the conn- 
try unless on walls, or in gardens sheltered by walls and hills." 

From these considerations it would appear preferable, that 
the trees be low set, in order that they may be trained accord- 
ingly. The growth of the tree is slow, straggling, and 
irregular, and when young it is difficult on this account to be 
trained into an erect and well formed standard, from which 
cause it arises that trees of this variety and of the Gansels Ber- 
gamot, which grows in a similar manner, when sent from the 
nurseries, have so ill shapen and indifferent an appearance. 

The Brown, Red and Golden Beurres, which have been de- 
scribed by numerotis authors as distinct, and the Beurre gris 
dore, and rouge, which have been separately applied as distinct 
titles, are identically the same fruit ; and the Pomological 
Magazine follows the correct course long since adopted by the 
intelligent French writers, of uniting them all under one head. 

The Pomological Magazine, however, pays a high compli- 
ment to Duhamel for making known these facts of the several 
titles being synonymous, when by referring to De la Quintinye, 
it will be seen they were already promulgated ere Duharnel 
was in existence, and had been repeated by Evelyn in 1693, 

It can readily be judged how much this measure of proper 
arrangement was called for in England, as adopted in the 
Magazine referred to, when we see that even in the seventh 
edition of Forsyth, which purports to be and really is greatly 
improved upon the previous editions, this pear is described un- 
der no less than four distinct heads, the descriptions all vary- 
ing from each other, 

The following description given in the magazine referred to, 
being very precise, I have extracted it : 

Wood, moderately strong, short jointed, flexuose, very apt 
to become cankered ; but if healthy, of a bright reddish chesnut 
colour, dotted with pale brown : leaves rather large, ovate- 
oblong, tapering to the point, folded together, irregularly and 
obscurely toothed ; petioles nearly an inch long ; stipules often 
as long as the petiole ; flowers, opening early, middle sized ; 



61 



ptials, obovate, tapering into the claw, very little tinged with 
red ; fruit, variable in shape, size, and colour, generally large, 
obovate, tapering to the stalk, which is usually from half an 
inch to an inch long, thick and fleshy at its union with the 
spur, and thickening obliquely into the fruit ; eye, somewhat 
open, placed in a shallow depression ; skin, soft, but not smooth, 
of a greenish golden yellow, appearing through a thin covering 
of russet ; on the sunny side sometimes reddish brown : flesh, 
white, greenish next the skin, with some greenish veins through 
it, melting, buttery, juicy, rich, and excellent, but sometimes 
rather gritty." 

BEURRE D'AREMBERG. Pr. cat. Lond. hort. trans. 

Pom. mag. 

Due d^Aremberg, of some collections arid gardens. 

This very excellent variety was introduced into our country, 
froilfi Flanders, about eight years since, and has become pretty 
widely disseminated throughout the middle and eastern states 
of the Union. The Gloux Morceau, which was sent to Eng- 
land from Flanders at the same time with this, has been culti- 
vated in several English nurseries and private collections for 
this kind, and in some instances the error originated there has 
been extended to this country by trees sent from them. The 
Gloux Morceau, although of great excellence^ is rather infe- 
rior in quality to this. 

I extract the following description from the Pomological 
Magazine : 

" This pear is truly characterised in the Horticultural Trans- 
actions as deserving ' to be placed at the head of all the pears 
in cultivation.' We certainly do not know any variety which 
can upon the whole be said to equal it ; for its flavour is not 
only excellent, and its flesh tender and juicy, but it is hardy, 
a great bearer, and will keep till March. It is usually culti- 
vated as a dwarf, being grafted on quiiijce, and trained against 



52 



an east or west wall, but it succeeds perfectly well as an opes^ 
standard. 

*' The Colmar Deschamp, said to be the same as this, is not 
quoted as a synonyme, because it is doubtful whether it be not 
a distinct kind. Wood, deep yellowish brown, sprinkled with 
gray spots ; leaves, middle sized, ovate oblong, a little waved, 
nearly entire on the old wood, slightly serrated towards the 
extremity of the young shoots, of a rich dark green colour ; 
fruit, turbinate, on an average three and a half inches long 
and two and three fourths wide at the broadest part, the stalk 
measuring one inch in length ; there is a contraction towards 
the setting on of the stalk; skin, a dehcate pale green, very 
slightly dotted with russet, which becomes a deeper yellow 
when ripe ; flesh, whitish, firm, very juicy, perfectly meltingy^ 
without any grittiness, and of a very extraordinary rich, sweet,, 
high flavoured quality." 

BEURRE DIEL. Van Mons. Pr. cat. Lond. hort. cat. 
Pom. mag. 

DieVs Butterhine. 

This very large and excellent fruit was introduced to this 
country from the Netherlands about the same time that it was 
sent to England. The following descriptive remarks are from- 
the Pomological Magazine, which contains a very admirable 
figure of the fruit. 

" This noble pear was raised by Dr. Van Mons, at Lou- 
vain, and by him named in honour of Dr. A. F. A. Diel, one 
of the most distinguished of the German pomiologists. Its 
great merit, independent of its excellence, is its fertility, both 
when trained on a wall and as a standard. Its period of ma- 
turity is the end of November, and it keeps well till the begin- 
ning of January. It is of the first rank among dessert pears. 
The tree is a free grower and acquires considerable size. 

" The wood is long, strong, flexuose, olive green, with a 
few scattered oval spots of an ash colour ; at the ends covered 



tEAR^* 53 

\\ith down; when old becoming light gray; leaves large, 
either roundish or broadly cordate, smooth ; fruit about the 
size and figure of the Summer Bonchretien, without the pro- 
tuberances of that variety ; it is much swollen a little above 
the middle, going off to the eye either abruptly or gradually, 
and tapering straight to the stalk without any contraction of 
figure ; when in perfection it is three inches broad and four 
inches long ; skin when the fruit is first gathered bright green, 
changing in a short time to a bright orange, with little trace 
of russet ; and its dots upon fruit from standard trees are 
usually surrounded with red ; eye close, in a deep cavity, sur- 
rounded by knobs, ribs or broad protuberances ; stalk strongs 
woody, one and a half inches long, inserted in a deep funnel- 
shaped hole ; flesh clear white, a little gritty towards the core, 
but otherwise perfectly tender and melting, juicy, with a deli- 
cious, rich, aromatic, saccharine flavour, without any percep- 
tible mixture of acid ; core very small, with narrow cells ; 
seeds usually abortive." 



EASTER BEURRE. Pom. mag. Pr. cat. 

Bersamotte de la PentecSie, ) r u ^ ^ 
Bergamotpentecote, ' ^ of French catalogues. 

Beurre dliyver de Bruxelles. Taschenbuch. 
Bezy Chaumontel tres gros. Lond. Hort. cat. 
Doyenne d^hyver, of some collections. 
Beurre dliyver, nouveUe espece ? 

This fine fruit, introduced of late years to our country, 
thus remarked upon and described in the Pomological Maga- 
zine : 

" Of all the very late keeping pears, this is decidedly the 
best. It has been recently introduced into England from the 
continent, but its origin there is not known. In many of the 
foreign collections it is confounded with the Bergamot de 
paques or Easter Bergamot, a good but inferior variety, from 
which it is distinguishable, not only by its fruit, but also by 
its wood, which is reddish yellow, not green as that of the 



54 



PEARSo 



Easter Bergaimot. It is probable from some circumstances- 
that the origin of this kind was Flanders. 

" The pear of this name, described in the Hort. Transac- 
tions by M. Parmentier, is not here cited as a synonyme, be- 
cause it is characterised as a crisp fruit, which this never is ; 
for a similar reason the pear so called in Van Mons' Arbres 
Fruitiers, is omitted, that writer, speaking of its musky fla- 
vour, a quality unknown in the subject of these remarks. It 
is a most profuse bearer grafted upon the quince. 

" Wood reddish yellow, sprinkled with distinct whitish spots ; 
leaves oblong, folded together; flowers early, very abundant, 
middle siiied, petals oval, not imbricated ; fruit large, roundish- 
oblong, broadest towards the eye, which is sunk in a mode- 
rately deep depression ; stalk short, thick, sunk in a deep ca- 
vity ; skin green, speckled with russet-brown — when ripe 
becoming yellowish ; flesh whitish, inclining to yellow, per- 
fectly buttery and melting, and extremely high flavoured." 



BEURRE RANGE. Pr. cat. VanMons. Lond. hort. transo- 
Pom. mag. For. 

Beurre d'Ardempont du printems, ^ 

Hardenpont du printemSi > of various collections. 

Beurri ipinet y 

i quote the following description and remarks relating to 
this pear, from the Fomological Magazine : 

" It is described by Dr. Van Mons as being the best of the 
late pears, keeping from December to May. This is perhaps 
to ascribe too high a character to the variety, which is how- 
ever, undoubtedly of rare excellence, not only on account of 
its flavour, but also of the capability it possesses of keeping 
sound and in perfection till a late period of the spring. It was 
raised at Mons by the late M. Hardenpont, by whom a num- 
ber of other good Flemish pears were obtained from seed some 
years ago. The tree is vigorous, and a good bearer after a 
few years ; it has a straggling mode of growth, the shoots be- 
ino^ in many cases pendulous. 



PEARS. 



55 



Wood brownish yellow, sprinkled with roundish gray 
dots ; leaves middle-sized, ovate, flat ; stipules linear, about as 
long- as the petioles, upon the young wood ; flowers early, 
large, with imbricated petals ; fruit middle-sized, oblong, ta- 
pering to the stalk, which is long and slender ; skin deep green 
at all times even when most ripe; flesh green, melting, rather 
gritty, having a delicious rich flavour, with very little acid ; 
the fruit shrivels in ripening." 

BEURRE ROMAIN. Pr. cat. N. Duh. 

Roman Beurre. 

This fruit is perfectly ovate, but its form contracts abruptly 
towards the stem, which is short, being only five or six lines in 
length. The height of this pear is three inches and six lines, 
and its diameter twenty-six lines. Both the eye and the stem 
are placed even with the outer surface of the fruit, that is, 
they are not placed within any cavity ; the skin which is at 
first green, becomes altogether a light yellow during its ripening 
and interspersed with numerous grayish specks ; the flesh is 
half-melting, sweet, perfumed, and very agreeable. The seeds 
are brown, and the fruit ripens at the end of September. 

ANGLETERRE. Pk. cat. Roz. Duh. Coxe. 
Poire d'Angleterre. 

Beurre d^Angleterre. Ros. syn. Duh. syn. Pr. cat. 25 ed, 
Angleterre, or English heurree. Coxe. 

The form of this pear is exactly pyramidal; its height 
thirty-three to thirty-six lines and its breadth twenty-three to 
twenty-five, but there are occasionally some of larger and 
some of smaller dimensions ; the skin is generally light green 
without any other particular shade, but sometimes it becomes a 
little yellowish at perfect maturity, and the sunny side acquires 
a reddish tint — in all cases it is dotted over with numerous 
grayish specks. The flesh is very melting and replete with 



56 



PEARS. 



rich and pleasant juice. It ripens in September, and soon after 
becomes soft ; the seeds are blackish brown, large and per- 
fect. There is no variety more extensively cultivated at Paris 
and its environs than this, and during the month of September 
the markets are filled with the fruit. The tree is very produc- 
tive and seldom fails to afford a crop ; it is only propagated 
on the pear stock, as it does not succeed on the quince. 

I perceive that Forsyth quotes this from Duhamel as a syno- 
nyme of the Brown Beurre, which is a great error, it being a 
very melting pear, and therefore the appellation of Beurre, 
in every case misapplied. 

MOUTHWATER. Pr. cat. 

Verte tongue. Roz. Duh. Mil. For. Coxe. 
Mouille louche. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. Mil. 

Great Mouthwater, \ \ i? 

Gros mouille bouche^ ^ * • 

Verte Tongue d'automne. 

Mouille houche dautomne, ) j^r.j ^ 

Autumn mouthwater, \ ^ ' ^^^* 

Long green. Mil. and others. 

Muscat fleur^, a synonyme quoted in Lend. Hort. cat. 

This pear is most commonly of an exact pyramidal form ; 
its height thirty-three lines and its greatest diameter twenty- 
six, tapering very much towards the stalk. Sometimes it as- 
sumes a turbinate form, of equal breadth as height, being 
twenty-eight or twenty-nine lines in each direction ; the posi- 
tion of the eye is even with the outer edge of the fruit, and 
the stem is green and eight or nine lines in length ; the skin 
is even at the period of maturity of an uniform shade of rather 
dark green, and is also perfectly smooth : in some cases, how- 
ever, one may observe a grayish streak running lengthwise of 
the fruit. The flesh is rather firm, but melting, and of a plea- 
sant flavour, with some sweetness and richness. The seeds 
are brown, and the fruit ripens at the end of September or 
early in October. The tree is thrifty, its foliage dark green, 
and it has altogether a very healthy appearance. Another 



FEARS. 



57 



variety, totally different from this, is cultivated erroneously by 
the same name in some collections. Miller describes this 
pear also under two distinct heads, as quoted above, (see Mil. 
Oard. Die. No. 30 and 36) and although he varies in the de- 
scriptions, and states that one is round and the other long, 
still I consider them as without doubt synonymous, for I find 
no distinction of the kind advanced in any French publication, 
and he has referred to no authority but in the one case. This 
error Forsyth copies from him. 



STRIPED LONG GREEN. Pr. cat. Coxe. 

Striped Dean. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 
Culotte de Suisse. Duh. 

Verte longue panach^e, or Suisse. Roz. Duh. Coxe. 
, Verte longue, Striped, or Swiss. For. 

This is a very handsome fruit to the view, on account of the 
colour of its perfectly smooth skin, where the green is pleas- 
antly variegated by long yellow stripes which extend from the 
summit to the base of the fruit, with some occasional hght 
touches of red next the sun. It is thirty lines in height, and 
two inches in breadth, its form being a pretty exact pyramid. 
The flesh is melting, replete with sweet juice, which is musky 
and very agreeable. The seeds are brown, of oblong form, 
and very much pointed, and the fruit ripens at the end of 
September. 



GREEN SUGAR. Evel. Mil. Pe. cat. Coxe. 

Sucre vert. Roz. Duh. Mil. Coxe. Sugar green. Evel. 
Sucre verd. Quin. 

This fruit has often a turbinate form, being twenty-five or 
twenty-six lines in diameter, and of the same height : some- 
times it is larger, and rather pyramidal in its shape, measur- 
ing thirty-three inches in height and twenty-eight or twenty- 

8 



58 



PEARS. 



nine in breadth. The position of the eye is nearly even with 
the fruit. The skin is smooth, light green, scattered over with 
very numerous small specks of a deeper shade of the same 
colour : but when at perfect maturity, the green changes to a 
yellowish hue. The flesh is partially melting, and sweet, with 
more or less richness, and is quite pleasant to the taste. The 
seeds are brown and oblong, and the fruit ripens at the end 
of October. The tree is of very thrifty and vigorous growth, 
extremely productive, and produces its fruit in clusters. It 
may be propagated on both pear and quince stocks. 



VINE, OR LADY'S. Pk. cat. 

Poire de Vigne. Duh. Mil, 
Vigne Demoiselle. Roz. 
Vigne, } Q^.^^ 
Vemoiselle, ) 
Vine pear. Mil. For. 
Vine, or Damsel. Evel. 

The form of this pear is that of a top. It is two inches in 
height, and two lines less in its greatest diameter, with a stem 
from eighteen to twenty lines in length. The skin is rough 
to the touch, and of a russet-gray colour. The flesh is half- 
melting and rather rich, but soon becomes mealy, and then 
loses its flavour. The seeds are dark brown, large in propor- 
tion to the size of the fruit, which ripens in October. 



MARTIN.SEC. Pk. cat. Roz. Duh. For. Coxe. 

Dry Martin. 

Rousselet cVhyver, ^ ^ , 

Winter Rousselet, ^ J' 

This fruit is two inches in diameter, and two inches and six 
or seven lines in height, but often of smaller size : it is also 
pyriform, terminating in a point at the stem, which varies 
greatly in its length, from eight or nine lines to eighteen. 
The eye is close set in a small cavity, bordered with furrows 



PEARS. 



59 



and pretty distinct projections. The skin is of a russet hue or 
light hazel colour on the shade side, and bright red next the 
sun ; and is scattered over with small white specks which are 
very apparent upon the red part of the fruit. The flesh is 
breaking, occasionally somewhat gritty, in general dry, and 
possessing little juice. The flavour is sweet, partially per- 
fumed, and quite pleasant. It is excellent when cooked, and 
then becomes of a red colour, and is one of the best kinds to 
be stewed or preserved. The seeds are dark brown, moder- 
ately large, and long. The fruit ripens in November, De- 
cember, and January, and sometimes becomes mellow pretty 
speedily. The tree is very productive, and can be grafted on 
either pear or quince. De la Quintinye and Evelyn designate 
two varieties : one by the title of Burgundy Dry Martin ; and 
the other as the Dry Martin of Champagne ; the latter being 
the best. Miller also speaks of these two varieties. Rozier 
remarks, that the fruit, which is of medium size, bears some 
resemblance to the Rousselet, but is less round at the head. It 
is doubtless from such similarity that this has been by some 
called the Winter Rousselet, as Miller intimates. 



SUMMER BONCHRETIEN. Pr. cat. Pom. mag. Mil. For. 

Bon Chretien d'ete. Roz. Duh. Mil. 
Gracioli. Roz. Duh. 
Gros Bon Chretien. 
Gracioli d^ete. 

Boncretien. QuiH. Evel. Mil. 
Die Sommer Christbirne, ^ 

Die gute Christbirne, > of various German authors. 

Sommer gute Christbirne grosse, j 
Musk Summer Bon Chretien. Coxe. 
Large Sugar, } ^ . rxr t 

Jargonelle, I "^""^ P^'^^ of New-Jersey, &c. 

The following description 1 extract from the Pomological 
Magazine : 

" A valuable, well known autumn pear, the origin of which 
is lost in the darkness of antiquity. It has been long culti- 



60 



PEARS. 



vated all over Europe for the sake of the size and the delicious 
flavour of its fruit. By some poQ:iologists it is supposed to be 
the Regalia of Valerius Cordus ; the Piri cli Gacemella of 
Agostino Gallo, and the Doinestica Pentagoiumi jjerclegans, 
and Pugillarium Bollense, of John Bauhin. If these conjec- 
tures be correct, its origin must be dated as far back, at least, 
as the beginning of the sixteendi century, and probably much 
higher. It is quite certain that it has found a place in every 
work of consequence for the last one hundred and fifty years. 
Upon the continent it is known by a great number of different 
names. In Italy it is called Gracioli, and Gratiola di Roma ; 
in Holland, Zomar Safraan, Apotheker Peer, Kamieelpeer, 
Sucker Kanijpeer, Kanjerweel, Kruidkanjericeel, Marsepein- 
peer, and Schager Magd ; in some parts of Germany, Malva- 
sierhirne, and Strashurgerhirne ; in Wurtemberg and Anspach, 
it has the name of Zuckerhirne ; in Thuringia, of Zuclieraden- 
hirne ; and finally, m Vienna, it is known by the name of 
Plutzerbirne, from its resemblance in form to a wine-flask. 

" It keeps a few days only, and in a week or ten days after 
being gathered it begins to rot at the core. Wood, long, 
flexuose or zigzag, smooth, with prominent buds, forming a 
drooping tree like the Jargonelle (Epargne.) Leaves, roun- 
dish, with a point, smooth, flat, slightly and regularly serrated ; 
when young, very thin, and pale green on both sides, by which 
it is readily distinguished from the Jargonelle, (Epargne) in 
which they are at that time of a thick cottony texture. 

*' Flowers, the largest among pears. Fruit, produced upon 
the extremities of young branches, which must be borne in mind 
in pruning the tree ; varying from three and a half to four and 
a half inches in length, and from two and a half to three inches 
in breadth across the widest part, exceedingly knobby and ir- 
regular in outline, particularly about the eye, quite blunt at the 
base : skin, when fully ripe, of a pale lemon colour, very slightly 
tinged with red on the sunny side, and covered all over pretty 
regularly with small green dots ; eye, prominent, small ; flesh, 
yellowish, breaking, firm, juicy, very sweet and excellent ; core, 
very small, placed near the eye ; seeds, all abortive," 



PEARS. 



61 



In referring to Duharael's description, I see nothing to add 
to the above, except that the stem is generally from twenty to 
twenty-four lines in length, and is frequently inserted somewhat 
laterally in the fruit : the skin is very smooth ; the flesh is 
melting, but somewhat breaking, and f^?-^ juicy. 

So far as my own experience goes, and I have had bearing 
trees around me from boyhood, this is one of the least produc- 
tive varieties cultivated among us, and without particular at- 
tention, the fruit is mostly knotty and of small size ; and Fes- 
senden remarks, that it is scarcely possible to raise it in the 
country around Boston, on account of its being subject to spots 
and cracks. I have noticed, however, that when the branches 
of large trees of this sort are sawed off, so as to force out new 
thrifty shoots, the crops are far more abundant as well as of large 
size and excellent quality. A tree thus treated stands in the 
, garden of Gardiner Greene, Esq. of Boston, to which the po- 
mologists of that city can direct their attention. 

It is mentioned in the Pomological Magazine, that it is doubt- 
ful whether the second variety mentioned in the German pub- 
lications exists in England. I have possessed it in my collec- 
tion for many years, where it has repeatedly produced fruit, 
and I wuU now proceed to describe it. 

MUSK SUMMER BONCHRETIEN. Pr. cat. 

Bon Chretien d'eU, musqu^. Roz. Duh. 
Bon Chretien musque. 

Bon Chretien d^ete, or Summer Bon Chretien. Coxe. 

This fruit is thirty-three lines in height, and twenty-seven 
in diameter, and generally approaches a pyramidal form : it 
often assumes a shape more or less irregular : sometimes it is 
swollen with protuberances and ridges, and at others it is only 
partially angular near the head. The stem is fifteen lines in 
length, and inserted within a cavity surrounded by ridges or 
projections. The skin is smooth and yellow, with a shght 
tint of red next the sun. The flesh is white, speckled, with 



62 



PEARS. 



greenish points, and is breaking, rather sweet, and highly 
musky. The seeds are small and brown, and the fruit ripens 
at the end of August, or early in September. It is one of the 
best pears of that season, but is subject to split and crack be- 
fore it attains to maturity. The tree does not succeed by in- 
grafting on the quince, and is delicate when ingrafted on the 
pear. Mr. Coxe, in his work on fruit trees, has transposed the 
titles of this and the preceding variety. 

MANSUETTE. Ps. cat. 0. Dun. 

Solitaire. N. Duh. O. Duh. syn. 
Mansuette solitaire. Roz. Bon Jard. 
Solitary Mansuette. Auth. 

The form of this pear has but little regularity, approximating 
in a great degree to that of the Winter Bonchretien, (Bon 
Chretien d'hyver) but with fewer projections and undulations. 
Its height is three inches five lines, and its diameter two inches 
seven lines, with a stem twelve or fourteen lines in length, which 
commonly rises obliquely, and has at its junction a swelling or 
protuberance, and some compressed furrows. The skin is 
green, speckled with brown, and sometimes entirely of the lat- 
ter colour on the shade side ; the part next the sun becomes a 
little yellowish, and even acquires a slight tint of red at the 
period at which the fruit attains to maturity. The fiesh is 
white, half melting, quite juicy, accompanied by a little sharp- 
ness of flavour. The seeds are small, broad, and light brown. 
The fruit ripens about the beginning of September, and soon 
becomes soft. The tree can be grafted more advantageously 
on the quince than on the pear. 

MARTIN SIRE. N. Duh. 

This is a very different fruit from the one described in Du- 
hamel as the RonviUe or Martin Sire, of which I shall next 
give a description. li is a very handsome pear, whose 



PEARS. 



form would be almost ovate if it was not partially contracted 
towards the peduncle, and if the eye was not inserted within a 
pretty deep cavity, surrounded by very projecting swellings or 
protuberances. Its height is four inches less by three lines, 
and its greatest diameter taken at the medium of its height, is 
three inches and two lines ; the stem, usually inserted rather 
laterally, is nearly two inches in length, and the skin is almost 
wholly of a yellowish green hue, attaining only a slight russet 
tint next the sun. The flesh is firm, rather dry, sweet, and 
quite agreeable, although not high flavoured.. The seeds are 
light brown and well perfected, and the fruit ripens in Novem- 
ber or December. In the New Duhamel it is announced that 
this fruit was presented to the author by M. Hervy, director of 
the gardens of the Luxembourg. I am not aware whether this 
or the succeeding variety is that which I have in my collection 
under the name of Martin Sire, but will soon be enabled, by 
critical examination, to decide the point. And as I have trees 
obtained from various sources under the same name, it is more 
than probable they may include both the varieties. 

RONVILLE. N. DuH. 

Martin sire, or Ronville. Roz. ? O. Duh. ? Mil. ? For. 

Ronville, or Martin sire. Quin. ? Evel. ? 

Martin sire. Pr. cat. ? 

Lord Martin pear. Mil. syn. ? 

Hocrenaille. Mil. syn. ? Die. d'Agric. syn. 

Poire de Bunmlle, Die. d'Agric. syn. 

This pear is very oblong, being usually three inches and two 
to four lines, and sometimes even near four inches in height, 
and from twenty-five to twenty- seven lines in its greatest dia- 
meter. The stem is enlarged at the point of junction with the 
fruit, and from ten to twelve lines in length. The skin, which 
is at first light green, becomes a little yellow at maturity, and 
is entirely dotted over with a great number of small grayish 
specks. The flesh is firm, somewhat breaking, of a pleasant 
flavour, partially sweet, and sometimes gritty around the seeds, 
which are brown and well perfected. Duhamel himself re- 



64 



PEAKS. 



marked, that there were commonly but four cells in this pear'; 
others, however, have observed five, but not a greater number. 
As is the case with a great many other varieties, one of the 
two seeds which are in each cell is almost invariably abortive. 
This fruit ripens at the end of October or early in November. 
I have quoted the Ronville, or Martin-sire of Quintinye and 
Evelyn, with an expression of doubt, because they mention 
theirs as ripening in January. It appears, by referring back to 
Rozier, that although he and the New Duhamel doubtless re- 
fer to the same fruit, there exists some variation between their 
respective descriptions. Miller's description likewise varies 
somewhat from the preceding one. 



BEAUTY OF AUTUMN. Pr. cat. 

rermillon, P'^- cat. 25 ed. 

Supreme, 
Petit certeau. 



This pear is much elongated, and not of very regular form ; 
it is rounded, and in general raised by swellings or irregular 
projections, and is three inches and a half in height and two 
inches in diameter at the widest part. The stem is fifteen to 
eighteen lines in length, and it has nnmmonly one or two pro- 
jecting ridges around it. The skin is yellowish on the shaded 
side, and a fine red next the sun, entirely dotted over with small 
fawn-coloured specks. The flesh is white, half melting, occa- 
sionally somewhat gritty, with a pleasant and rather high fla- 
vour, which is very agreeable. The fruit attains to maturity 
early in September, and readily becomes mellow. The tree 
is vigorous, and may be propagated on either pear or quince. 
I perceive that in the London Horticultural Society's catalogue, 
the Vermilion d'ete is ranged as a synonyme of this variety, 
but I follow the New Duhamel in keeping them distinct, in 
which other French authors coincide. 



rEARS. 



65 



FINE GOLD OF SEPTEMBER. Pr. cat. 

Fin or de Septembre. Roz Duh. Pr cat. 25 ed. 

Fin or Orleans. Quin. ? Evel. 1 and of many French collec. 

This pear is of very regular form, two inches nine lines in 
height, and two inches in diameter at the most swollen part, 
which is towards the head, at about one third of its height : 
the stem is very long, often exceeding two inches : the skin is 
altogether of a li^^ht green hue, scattered over with small red- 
dish specks on the side next the sun. The flesh is half melting, 
with a small degree of acidity, and quite pleasant. The fruit 
ripens at the beginning of September. 

CASSANTE DE BREST. Pr, cat. N. Duh. 

Brest melting, Pr. cat. 25 ed. 
Inconnue Chenau. Quin, Roz. Duh. 
Fondante de Brest. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. 
Unknown Chenau. Evel. 
Chenau. 

Breaking jpear of Brest. Auth. 
Per sick pear. 

The form of this fruit is precisely the same as the preceding ; 
it is only a little smaller, being but two inches six lines in height, 
and twenty-two lines in breadth, with a stem proportionate in 
its length, say from twelve to eighteen lines. It is in the con- 
sistence and flavour of the fruit that we find differences suflicient 
to establish its distinct character. The skin is white, approach- 
ing a very light green, dotted over with numberless greenish 
specks, and lightly tinged with dull red next the sun. The 
flesh is rather firm, half breaking, of a sweet and moderately 
rich flavour. The seeds are blackish brown, and the fruit 
ripens at the end of August or early in September. 

<> 



66 



PEARS. 



ADMIRAL. Pr. cat. 

Poir d'Amiral N. Duh. Pr. cat 25 ed. 

The Admiral pear is of exact pyramidal form, and very 
round near the base, with a height of three inches to three inches 
and a half, and a breadth of from twenty-eight to thirty lines. 
The skin is even and regular, of a light green hue, dotted over 
with numerous grayish specks, and a little touched with russet 
next the sun. The flesh is moderately firm, readily dissolving 
in the mouth, of a sweet and agreeable flavour, and soon be- 
comes soft. The seeds are brown and large when perfectly 
developed, the major part being often abortive. The fruit 
ripens at the end of September. De la Quintinye and Evelyn 
mention a pear called Portugal Summer, Prince pear, or Ad- 
miral, ripening in July ; we can therefore scarcely suppose 
them to refer to this. 

ST. LEZAIN. Pr. cat. N. Duh. 

St. Lezin. Pr. cat. 25 ed. Evel. Poit. et Turp. For. 
Monsieur le Cure. 

The merit of this fruit consists in its size, for this beautiful 
pear is in respect to taste but an indifferent variety ; it is often 
four inches six lines and even more in height, and three inches 
two or three lines in its greatest diameter, which is at about 
one third its height; the part next the stalk gradually diminish- 
ing in size. The stem which is sixteen to eighteen lines in 
length, emerges from a small cavity, one side of which is often 
raised by a singular protuberance ; the eye at the opposite 
extremity is situated even with the outer edge of the fruit. 
The skin which is at first green over every part, becomes a little 
yellow in ripening, and is dotted over with small grayish points, 
and sometimes acquires a very slight tint of red next to the 
sun ; the flesh is rather firm and does not possess a great deal 
of flavour, but has a partial acidity in its taste. The seeds 
are very oblong and almost black, and the fruit ripens at the 
end of September or early in October. 



PEARS. 



CALEBASH. Pr. cat. 

Calebasse. N. Duh. 

The form of this pear has caused it to receive the title it 
bears ; its height is three inches and a half, and its greatest 
breadth twenty-four to twenty-five lines ; the eye is even witli 
the fruit and indeed slightly projecting, surrounded with small 
swellings which extend a short distance over the fruit, thereby 
rendering its surface irregular and not perfectly round ; the 
stem is of a dark red colour and twenty lines in length ; the 
skin is yellow, dotted over with numerous russet specks, col- 
lected together in large groups in different parts of the fruit ; 
the flesh is white, half-breaking, sweet, and of very agreeable 
perfumed flavour. The seeds are brown and well matured, 
but small in proportion to the size of the fruit, which becomes 
ripe at the end of September. There is also a Calebasse Bosc 
originated by Van Mons. 

JALOUSIE. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. 
Jealousy. 

This fruit is of turbinate form, being swollen next the eye 
and diminishing towards the stem ; its height is two inches 
and a half to three inches, and its diameter thirty-two to thir- 
ty-four lines, with a stem fifteen to eighteen lines in length, 
which is yellowish and commonly somewhat swollen at the part 
where it connects with the fruit. The skin is fawn colour, 
but not of a dark shade, and is scattered entirely over with 
specks of a still lighter hue ; the flesh is white, melting, sweet, 
perfumed, and very pleasant ; the seeds are brown and rather 
oblong, and the fruit matures at the end of September or in the 
course of the month of October. The tree can only be in- 
grafted on the pear stock ; upon the quince it languishes and 
perishes in a few years. 



PEAKS, 



RED BERGAMOT. Pr, cat. 

Bergamofte rouge. Roz. Duh. 

This pear is round, being near two inches in height and 
twenty-four to twenty-five lines in diameter, but diminishing 
in some cases next the stem, and becoming elongated until it 
attains a length of twenty-seven or twenty-eight lines, when 
it assumes the shape of a top ; the peduncle is large and only 
six to nine lines in length, and frequently inserted within a 
small cavity ; the skin is of a yellowish fawn colour, a little 
rough to the touch, and the part next the sun acquires a tint 
of dull red; the flesh is rather breaking, and of a rich and 
rather perfumed flavour ; the seeds are pretty dark brown, and 
the fruit ripens at the end of October or in the month of No- 
vember. 

In the New Duhamel it is remarked, that there appears to 
have been another variety confounded with this in the first edi- 
tion of that work, which is therein stated to ripen about the 
middle of September, and that it is called in some nurseries 
Crasanne detL I am not able at present to say whether the 
present one and the variety described under the same name, 
by Mr. Coxe, are synonymous ; but as I have both in my col- 
lection, 1 shall soon be enabled to determine that point. 



SUMMER BERGAMOT. Pe. cat. Evel. Mil. For. 

Bergamotte d'ete. Quin. Roz. Duh. Mil. 

Milan de la Beuvriere. Quin. Evel. Roz. Duh., both editions. 

Milan, and M ian hlanc. 

Hamden^f Ber^amot Mil syn. 

Bergamotte d^Angleter e, > jy^^ 

Bergamotte di Hampden, y 

This pear is of turbinate form ; its height is two inches and 
ten lines, and its diameter two inches and aJialf, with a large 
stem six lines in length, which is placed at the bottom of a 
small cavity ; the eye at the opposite extremity is also in a ca- 



PEARS, 



69 



vity, which is surrounded by swellings or projections. The 
skin is rough to the touch, of a lively green hue, scattered 
over with fawn coloured specks, and sometimes washed with a 
russet tint next to the sun ; the flesh is almost melting, not very 
rich, slightly acid and pretty pleasant to the taste — it is apt to 
become stringy when the fruit is not gathered rather green. 
The seeds are small and often abortive, and the fruit is at ma- 
turity early in September ; the trees may be propagated with 
equal facility on either the pear or the quince. 

In the New Duhamel, the Bergamotte d' Angleterre, or B. 
de Hamden is described as a variety distinct from the Berga- 
motte d'Ete, or Summer Bergamot ; but as there exist good 
reasons to think them synonymous, I have united them under 
the same head. The pear called Early Summer Bergamot, 
in Mr. Coxe's work, appears to be quite a different fruit from 
this. 

EARLY FRENCH BERGAMOT. Auth. 
Bergamotte precoce. Duh. 

This fruit is about two inches in diameter, and rather less in 
its height ; it is very much flattened at the head, where the eye 
is inserted within a deep cavity ; the skin is dark green speck- 
led with small brownish dots, and becomes yellow at maturity ; 
the flesh is melting, of a sweet and agreeably perfumed fla- 
vour ; it has however this objection to its value, that it ver}' 
soon becomes soft. The tree is of vigorous growth, and 
the fruit ripens early in August ; it is much cultivated in the 
southern departments of France, but is rare at Paris and its 
vicinity. I have given to this pear the discriminating appella- 
tion of French, to distinguish it from another variety which I 
shall now proceed to notice. 

EARLY BERGAMOT. Pom. mag. 

The pear for which the above title has been adopted by the 
conductors of the Pomological Magazine, they state was trans- 



PEARS. 



mitted to the London Horticultural Society by M. Thouin, of 
Paris, under the title of De Huchet, which it appears by their 
statement does not properly belong to it. The following re- 
marks I copy from the same work. 

" It is clear that this pear is unlike any kind cultivated in 
this country, (England) ; about the period when it ripens we 
have none that are half as good. It is a most excellent variety 
of its season, and well worth growing. It ripens in the end 
of August and beginning of September, and bears most abun- 
dantly as an open standard. 

" Wood strong, yellowish green on the shade side, chesnut 
coloured next the sun, sprinkled with whitish spots; leaves 
moderately large, broadly ovate, tapering to the point, with 
sharp serratures, scarcely downy on either side ; petioles about 
an inch long, stipules long and clear ; flowers very large, with 
roundish petals ; fruit middle-sized, roundish, flattened, de- 
pressed at the eye, towards which end of the fruit it is slightly 
angular ; stalk about an inch and a quarter long, moderately 
thick, inserted in a shallow cavity ; skin green, with a tinge of 
yellow when fit for use, with a few faint streaks of brownish 
red on the sunny side ; flesh yellowish white, very juicy, a little 
€risp and gritty, but very rich and sugary. 

FRENCH A.UTUMN BERGAMOT. Pr. cat. 

BersamottP d^automne. Roz. Duh. 
Autumn Bergamot. 

This pear is of a very depressed turbinate form, being 
thirty-three to thirty-six lines in diameter, and twenty-seven to 
twenty-nine lines in height — in some cases however, it ap- 
proaches a pyramidal shape, its diameter being then about the 
same as its height ; the stem is short, being but six hues in 
length, inserted in a slight cavity ; the eye is exactly even with 
the extremity of the fruit ; the skin is smooth, light green, ac- 
quiring a little yellow at perfect maturity, and assuming some- 
times next the sun a slight tint of brownish red — it is besides 



PEARS. 



71 



more or iess speckled all over with small grayish dots ; the 
flesh is half-breaking, dissolving pretty readily in the mouthy 
and abounds with cool juice, which is sweet and partially per- 
fumed ; the fruif when well ripened has an odour more regaling 
to the smell than to the taste ; the seeds are brown and oblong, 
and the fruit matures in October. This tree succeeds as well 
when grafted on the quince as on the pear ; some writers as- 
sert that the fruit produced on the former is superior, while 
others contend that there is no essential difference resulting 
from this course. 

De la Quintinye makes the remark that there existed no dif- 
ference between the Autumn and Summer Bergamot pears of 
his day, except what was comprised in the colour only, but 
that the difference in that respect was a real one. He states 
that one of these was us >ally called the Bergamot, or Common 
Bergamot, and also the Poire de la Hili.re, or de Recous. 

ENGLISH AUTUMN BERGAMOT. Pr. cat. 

Autumn Bergamot. Pom. mag For. Pr. cat, "Zb ecL 

Autumn, or English Bergamot, Mil. Switz. 

York Bergamot. 

Common Bergamot. 

Ruddi) English Bergamot. Evel. ? 

Heere pear. 

The pear generally cultivated in this country, as well as iii 
England, under the name of Autumn Bergamot, differs from 
the Bergamotte d'automne of the French, although Miller, 
Forsyth, and various other writers put them down as synony- 
mous. I copy the following remarks from the London Pomo- 
logical Magazine. 

" The Bergamotte d'automne has not yet fruited in the gar- 
den of the Horticultural Society ; there are in it, however, 
several trees from various French authorities which perfectly 
agree with each other in their wood and foliage, and so far also 
with the description of Duhamel, but they are very different in 
these respects from the sort here treated of—about whose real 
origin nothing is known. If we are to believe Switzer, it was 



^2 



PEARS. 



brought over by Julius Caesar and formed part of ' the furni- 
ture' of the gardens of Alcinous. According to Manger, it 
is of the highest antiquity, and was without doubt in former 
times the only one to which they gave the name, which is also 
now applied to other similar pears. This name, he says, is not 
derived from Bergamo in Italy, as many have believed, but 
from the Turkish words heg or hey., a prince, and armoud, a 
pear. He also shows, that this princely pear was formerly 
written not Bergamotte, but Begarmoud, by referring to Gre- 
en's Niederlandischen Gartner. As its name is Turkish, he 
infers that this sort must have come from Turkey, and conse- 
quently originated in a warmer climate. With us (in Eng- 
land) this pear ripens remarkably well on standards as far 
north as Yorkshire, and is in eating in October, decaying soon 
after ; but both the old and young wood of the Bergamotte 
d'automne of the French, canker very much in this soil and 
climate. 

" The wood is yellowish brown, not much spotted ; leaves 
middle-sized, oval, wavy, generally entire ; stipules long, 
linear ; the leaves of the fruit spurs ovate, slightly cordate, on 
long and slender petioles ; flowers middle-sized ; petals round- 
ish, ovate, overlapping each other ; fruit small, approaching 
the middle size, depressed, globular, hollowed at the eye and 
stalk — the latter is short and thick; eye open, in a regularly 
formed shallow depression ; skin a little rough with russet, 
reddish next the sun fading into brownish green ; flesh whitish, 
a little gritty next the core, very juicy, sugary, and rich." 

I may here add, that the trees of this kind which I have in 
my collection are remarkable for their vigour and thriftiness 
of growth, in which points few varieties equal this, and the 
existence of which in so remarkable a degree in thisij^r^ aged 
variety^ serves for another proof against the fallacious doc- 
trine of exhaustion. 

The description given by Mr. Coxe of the Autumn Berga- 
mot, seems rather to refer to the French variety, as he states 
that the tree is not very vigorous, and in fact his descriptions of 
French pears generally follow those given by Rozier. 



PEARS. 



73 



HOLLAND BERGAMOT. Pr. cat. For. Coxe. 

^ 7, . 7 > Roz. Duh. Mil. 

moite a Alencon, 



AmoseUe. Duh. syn. Mil. 
Lord Cheney's. 

This is a very beautiful fruit. It is remarked by the authors 
of the New Duhamel, that all those which they had particularly 
noticed were of turbinate form, with an irregular surface raised 
here and there by slight projections, and that they measured 
three inches and three lines in height, by three inches and one 
line at the greatest diameter. The eye was situated in a wide 
depression, the edges of which were rather even, or presented 
some very trivial inequalities. The stem was large, two inches 
long : the skin wholly a light green, interspersed by numerous 
grayish specks, and at maturity attaining a pale yellow hue : 
the flesh, rather firm, half breaking, and abounding in pleasant 
juice, of considerable flavour : the seeds were brown, and 
somewhat protuberant, and the axis of the fruit in the centre of 
the cells was hollow. This fruit begins ripening in February, 
and may be kept till June. It appears subject to vary in 
its shape ; for in the first edition of Duhamel it is described 
and figured of an almost globular form, rather less in height 
than in breadth, and measuring three inches in diameter, by 
two inches nine lines in height. This variety is excellent, 
when cooked or made into composts. The tree is vigorous, 
and may be ingrafted on both pear and quince. Forsyth men- 
tions this as a synonyme of the Autumn Bergamot, cultivated 
in England, and of the Bergamotte d'automne of Duhamel, 
which are themselves two different fruits ; this circumstance 
throws doubt on the matter altogether. The Pomological 
Magazine, on the contrary, does not quote this as a synonyme 
of the English Autumn Bergamot, and it is therefore most 
probably distinct. 

10 



n 



PEARS. 



SWISS BERGAMOT. Pk. cat. Mil. For. 

Bergamotfe Suisse. Quin. Rt)z. Diih. Mil. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Be7'gamotte ray^e. 

Suisse, or Strij-ed Bergamot. Evel. 

This pear is twenty-eight lines in height, and twenty-seven 
in diameter. Its form is turbinate next the stem, which is from 
six to twelve lines in length, and inserted in a very small cavity, 
and sometimes in the centre of a flat space. The skin is smooth, 
striped with green and yellow, and on the sunny side acquires 
a slight tint of red, which is much more apparent upou the 
yellow stripes than on the green ones. The flesh is melting, 
sweet, and replete with juice, especially when the fruit is not 
ripened on the tree. The seeds are light brown, wtII matured, 
and terminate by a long point, and the fruit ripens in October. 
The tree succeeds equally well, grafted either on the pear or 
the quince. It is quite productive, but not partial to a very 
hot situation. 

GANSEL'S BERGAMOT. Pr. cat. Pom. mag. For. 

? Brocas Bergamot, of various publications. 
Ives Bergamot. 
Bon rouge . 

The Brocas Bergamot is now supposed to be synonymous 
with this variety, which is thus described in the Pomological 
Magazine : 

" The wood is weak and flexuose, like that of the Brown 
Beurre, but is covered with a kind of mealiness, as are also 
the leaves, by which it is particularly distinguished from all 
the Beurres and Chamontelles. The leaves are shining, flat, 
and rather mealy : the fruit, ovate, very much flattened at the 
crown, usually seven and a half or eight inches round, of a 
very regular figure, quite destitute of angles : skin, dull brown 
like that of the Brown Beurre, a little marked with dashes of 
deeper russet : flesh, white, melting, very sweet, rich, and high 



PEARS. 



75 



flavoured : core, very small. Among the native English au- 
tumnal pears, this perhaps holds the highest rank, whether we 
consider its beauty, its excellence, or its prolific nature. It 
was raised by a Lieut. General Gansel, from seed of the Au- 
tumn Bergamot, about the middle of the last century. Some- 
times it attains a very large size, having occasionally been seen 
almost a foot in circumference. 

It does not bear well in England as a standard, but affords 
a tolerably certain crop when trained in an espalier form, and 
on the quince stock. It comes into eating here in October, 
and continues in perfection about a month. 

The growth of the tree when young is quite slow, and ex- 
tremely irregular, insomuch that it is very difficult to give it 
an erect and handsome form. I should be much more inclined 
to suppose this a seedling from the Brown Beurre, than from 
the Autumn Bergamot. 

CRASANNE. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. Mil. Foe. Coxe. 

Bergamotte Crasanne. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. Mil. 

Crasanne Bergamot. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Cresane, and Crasane. 

Beurre plat, or Flat butter pear. Mil. 

A fine pear of this variety is round and somewhat turbinate, 
measuring three inches, or nearly that, in breadth, and thirty- 
four or thirty-five lines in height. The stem is slender and 
eighteen to twenty lines in length, rather bent or curved, and 
inserted within a small cavity. The eye is placed in a slight 
depression with a very smooth circumference. The skin is a 
grayish red before maturity, but when the fruit is ripe it be- 
comes a little yellow and is scattered over with red spots. The 
flesh is very melting, with abundance of juice, which is cool 
and sweet, combined with a slight degree of acidity, and of 
an exquisitely perfumed flavour. The seeds are brown, but 
very often wholly deficient even in the cells where it might be 
expected they would be perfect ; in such case their place is 
supplied by a pulp rather less melting than the residue of the 



76 



PEARS. 



fruit, and in which some very small stony particles are freqaent- 
ly found. This pear is one of the choicest varieties that is 
cultivated, and there are few that can bear a comparison with 
it ; it ripens at the end of October or early in November, and 
keeps a long time before it becomes soft. Fessenden re- 
marks, that around Boston this pear has been found more apt 
to crack than any other variety whatever, and that it will not 
suit the country in that section of the union unless sheltered. 

VARIEGATED CRASANNE. Auth. 

Crasanne panachee, Roz. Duh. 

This does not differ from the preceding as regards the fruit, 
but varies in the leaves, which are small and oblong, edged 
with white and undulated, with very delicate indentures, which 
are slight and acutely formed. The tree is very pleasing to 
the view, but ought not to be trained in espalier form, nor 
planted in a too hot exposure, as the sun reddens and injures 
the white border of the foliage. 

BERGAMOTTE CADETTE. Pr. cat. Roz. O. Duh. 
Bergamol cadet. 

Poire de Cadet, Roz. N. Duh, 

In form, this pear is commonly turbinate, being thirty- 
one lines in height and thirty-two in diameter, with a large 
stem eight to ten lines in length, which is inserted within a 
slight cavity ; the skin is smooth, yellow on the shade side at 
the period of maturity, and slightly tinged with red next the 
sun ; the flesh is pleasant, but soon becomes stringy. The 
fruit ripens in October. The tree is vigorous in its growth, 
and very abundant in its produce, and succeeds equally well 
on either pear or quince. 



PEARS. 



77 



EASTER BERGAMOT. Pr. cat. Mil. 

Winter or Easter Bergamot. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 
Bergamotte de Pdsques. Roz. Duh. Mil. For. 
Bergamoite d'hiver. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. 
Bergamotte Bugi. Mil. 
Bugi. Quin. ? Evel. 1 
Tarling, or Terling, ^ 

Robert's keeping, > of some English writers. 

Paddington, ) 

Paddington, or Easter Bergamot, Coxe. 

This pear is almost regularly globular, in some cases par- 
tially turbinate, being thirty-two to thirty-six lines in height ; 
the eye is situated in a very small cavity, and most generally 
even with the extremity of the fruit ; the stem, which is four 
to eight lines in length, is also inserted within an extremely 
small cavity, whose edges are quite round ; the skin, which is 
a light green, varying to pale yellow at maturity, is speckled 
over its whole surface with small gray dots, and acquires a 
slight russet tinge next the sun. The flesh is half meltings 
not very sweet, but abounds in rich juice possessing a very 
pleasant perfume. The seeds are brown, large, round at one 
end and pointed at the other, and in part abortive. This pear 
is scarcely fit to be eaten before the month of April, and it 
may be preserved until June, after which it becomes meally 
and much wrinkled without getting soft ; the tree is vigorous, 
and may be grafted on both the pear and the quince. 



BERGAMOT SYLVANGE. Pr. cat. N. Duh. 

Sylvanche, Roz. Bergamot sylvanche. Coxe. 

Sylvange. 

This pear has an exact turbinate form ; its height is thirty- 
two lines and its diameter thirty. The eye is small, and in- 
serted within a very slight depression, similar to that whence 
the stem emanates, which does not exceed six or eight lines in 
length ; the skin is light green even at complete maturity, in- 



78 



PEARS. 



terspersed with grayish specks, often very near together on 
the end next the eye ; the flesh is exceedingly mehing, of a 
sweet, rather rich and very pleasant flavour. The seeds are 
frequently abortive, and the fruit ripens in October. 

BERGAMOTTE DE SOULERS. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. 

Bonne de SouJers. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. 

Bergamotte of SouJers. 

This fruit is twenty-five lines in height and thirty in diame- 
ter ; the head is more round than is the case with other Ber- 
gamot pears, and the eye is but slightly depressed ; the stem 
is rather large, eleven lines in length and somewhat sunk in 
the fruit ; the skin is shining, very light green on the shaded 
side, scattered over with dots of a deeper shade of the same 
colour, and changing to yellow at maturity ; the side next the 
sun acquires a slight tinge of brownish red ; the flesh is melt- 
ing, sweet, and of agreeable taste ; the seeds are large, well 
matured, and terminate in a long very acute point. This fruit 
ripens in February and March, and the tree may be ingrafted 
on both pear and quince. 

NAPLES. Pr. CAT. Duh. Mil. For. Evel. ? 

Poire de Nai)les. Roz. N. Duh. Quin. ? 
Easter St. Germain. Mil. 

This pear has usually a turbinate form, sometimes it is nearly 
round, the peduncle and the eye being even with the fruit ; the 
height of the largest is thirty lines, and the diameter thirty- 
two, but frequently far less ; the stem is scarcely ten lines in 
length, and the skin is almost wholly a light green, which 
changes to pale yellow at maturity, and occasionally the side 
exposed to the sun takes a partial tint of red ; the flesh is half- 
breaking, almost melting, of a pleasant and somewhat musky 
flavour ; the seeds are brown and proportionably large in 
comparison with the fruit. In the old edition of Duhamel 



FEARS. 



79 



this pear is said to ripen in February and March, but in the 
new one it is remarked that it begins to ripen in November. 
The tree is of vigorous growth and quite productive, and suc- 
ceeds on both pear and quince stocks. 

EEZI DE LA MOTTE. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. 

Bezy de la Motte. For. and others. 
Besi de la motte. Quin. Evel. 

This pear has a turbhiate form, it is enlarged next the eye, 
but next to the stem the size is much diminished ; its height is 
thirtj^-two to thirty-six lines, and its diameter nearly as much 
at the largest part ; the stem is short, being only six or seven 
lines in length and inserted within a cavity, the edges of which 
are generally even and regular ; the skin is green, acquiring 
a little yellow when the fruit is ripe — it is scattered over with 
very numerous russet specks, and in some sections these specks 
are very contiguous to each other, and formed into large irre- 
gular groups ; the flesh is white, melting, and of a bland and 
very agreeable flavour. This fruit has a great aflinity to the 
Crasanne, in form, colour, and flavour ; it ripens at the end of 
September or in the course of October, and soon becomes 
soft. Duhamel says it does not succeed well on dwarf 
stocks. 



ST. MARTIAL. Pe. cat. For. 

Saint Martial. Mil. 

Angelique de Bordeaux. Roz. Duh. 

Saint Marcel, > of some French 

Gros Franc-real, or Franc-real gros, ^ collections. 

Christalline, a syn. Lond. Hort. cat. (? Auth. vide Quin. 

and Evel.) 
Poire Angelique, ^ 
Poire douce, \ Mil. syn. 
Angelic pear, } 

Angelique de Rome. Mil. syn. erroneously. 

The form of this pear approximates to that of the Winter 
Bonchretien ; it is three inches wanting a line in height, and 



80 



PEARS. 



as it is flattened in the course of its length, its diameter varies 
considerably — in one direction it is two inches eight lines, and 
in the other two inches and five hnes only ; the eye is small 
and situated at the base of a narrow cavity ; the stem is large, 
eighteen to twenty lines in length, somewhat fleshy at its in- 
sertion in the fruit, which is even with the surface ; the skin is 
smooth, pale yellow, and almost whitish on the shade side, 
reddish on the part exposed to the sun, and sometimes slightly 
speckled with brown around the eye ; the flesh is breaking, 
and of a sweet and pleasant flavour ; the seeds are brown, 
moderately large, and terminate in a long acute point. This 
is a winter fruit and keeps a long time ; the tree is somewhat 
delicate and does not do well on the quince stock, and is not 
very vigorous on the pear. 

ANGELIQUE DE ROME. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. 

This pear is of medium size, and has an oblong appearance, 
although its greatest diameter is nearly equal to its height, the 
one being twenty-seven lines and the other twenty-eight — the 
part about the head is quite round, and the eye is placed in a 
small cavity ; the stem is seven to nine lines in length, large, 
and inserted even with the fruit or in a narrow groove ; the 
skin is rough to the touch, of a pale yellow or lemon colour, 
and sometimes very slightly tinged with yellow on the sunny 
side ; the flesh is half-melting, of a somewhat yellow hue, with 
a sweet and rather rich flavour. This pear ripens in Decem- 
ber, January, and February ; the tree is vigorous and may be 
ingrafted either on the pear or quince. 

MARQUISE. Pr. cat. Quin. Roz. Duh. Mil. For. Coxe. 
Marchioness, Evel. Mil. 

This fruit much resembles the Bezi de la Motte in form, 
size, and colour ; it is thirty-two to thirty-three lines in diame- 
ter, and the same in height — sometimes it is of pyramida 



PEARS. 



81 



form, being three inches in height, without any augmentation 
of the diameter. The stem is sixteen or seventeen lines in 
length, and commonly placed even with the surface, and the eye 
is similarly situated or in a depression scarcely perceptible ; 
the flesh is melting, rich, of rather sweet flavour, and imparts 
to the mouth an agreeable coolness ; the seeds are large and 
swollen, short and terminated by an acute point, and the fruit 
ripens in November and December, and sometimes as early as 
the end of October. 

GERMAN MUSCAT. Pr. cat. Evel. For. Coxe. 

Muscat VAUeman, Duh. Mil. For. 

Muscat V Allemand. 

Muscat Allemand. Roz. Coxe. 

Almain, Quin. Evel. 

Muscat of Germany. Mil. 

In regard to form, size, and colour, this fruit bears great 
resemblance to the Royal Winter — it only difiers in common 
by being more enlarged near the head and sometimes more 
pyriform ; the flesh has also nearly the same colour and con- 
sistence, but diflers from it in possessing a musky and richer 
flavour; the seeds are dark brown and very oblong, when 
they are not abortive. The fruit only begins ripening in Jan- 
uary, and keeps in some cases until May ; the tree is vigo- 
rous, and may be ingrafted on both the pear and quince. 

ROYAL WINTER. Pr. cat. Coxe. 

Royale d'hiver. Roz. Duh. For. 

Winter royal. 

This pear is most frequently of a turbinate form, and some- 
times nearly globular, being thirty to thirty-two lines in dia- 
meter, and thirty-two to thirty-four in height — it is not rare 
however to find some of a much larger size and measuring 
three inches three lines in height by three inches in breadth ; 
the eye is placed in a very broad shallow depression, and the 

11 



82 



PEARS. 



Stem, which is about an inch long, is inserted within a small 
cavity, whose edges are very even and regular ; the skin is 
light yellow in the shade and reddish on the side exposed to 
the sun ; the flesh is rather yellowish, with a slight degree of 
firmness, almost melting, and pretty abundant in sweet and 
agreeable juice. Frequently the most of the seeds are abor- 
tive, but those which perfect themselves are very oblong and 
dark brown ; the fruit ripens in December, January, Febru- 
ary, and March, and succeeds better on pear stocks as stand- 
ards, than on the quince as espaliers. The tree is of the 
most vigorous and thriving description, and assumes an up- 
right and stately form. 



MESSIRE JEAN. Pr. cat. Evel. Mil. Coxe. 

WJiite and grey Messire Jean. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

White and gray Monsieur John. Mil. I^or. 

Messire Jean drre. Roz. Dnh. 

Messire Jean b!anc gris. Mil. 

Monsimr Jean.^ and Mr John, 

Monsieur^ Brown gold 1 ) Evel ? 

Brown orange, \ 

ChauUs. 

This fruit is of turbinate form, somewhat rounded, being 
thirty-two to thirty-six lines in diameter, and thirty to thirty- 
four in height, with a stem ten to twelve lines in length, which 
as well as the eye, is inserted even with the fruit ; the skin is a 
little rough to the touch, of a dull yellow, and sometimes a 
grayish colour ; the flesh is firm, breaking, perfumed, and of 
a rich and excellent taste, but subject to be gritty. The seeds 
are light brown, and the fruit ripens in October and Novem- 
ber, and soon becomes soft. 



SAINTONGE. N. Duh. 

Chat brusle, of some French gardens. 

This fruit in point of colour very much resembles the Mes- 
sire- Jean, but its pyramidal form readily distinguishes it; it is 



PEARS. 



83 



almost wholly of a dark gray colour, and is twenty-eight to 
thirty lines in diameter and three inches in height; the skin is 
a little rough to the touch, which arises from its being scat- 
tered over with a great profusion of specks, which viewed with 
a magnifying glass, appear like cracks in the skin itself — this 
however is common to many other pears; the flesh is melting, 
sweet, and of a very pleasant taste. The seeds are brown, 
and the fruit ripens in October and November. It is culti- 
vated in the Jardin des Plantes at Paris and in many other 
French gardens under the name given above as a synonyme, 
as well as under the one at the head; but another pear having 
already been called Chat-hride by Duhamel, the other title has 
been adopted in the last edition of his work, whence this des- 
cription is extracted. 



SAINT LAURENT. N. Duh. Calv. 



This pear is nearly of the form and size of the Early French 
Bergamot or Bergamotte-precoce already described ; the skin 
is at first greenish, but becomes yellow at maturity ; the flesh 
is slightly acid, but loses that flavour when cooked; it ripens 
early in August and is not considered very worthy o culture. 
It is common in the southern departments of France, but very 
little known in the environs of Paris. 



VALEE FRANCHE. Duh. 

This fruit is pyriform and flattened like a pelerin gourd ; 
the skin is green and shining, but acquires a yellow hue at full 
maturity ; the flesh is rather greenish, replete with juice of an 
agreeable flavour, but it soon becomes mealy and soft ; the 
fruit ripens at the end of September or beginning of October. 
The tree is vigorous when grafted on the pear stock, but does 
not succeed well on the quince. 



84 



PEARS. 



POIRE DE PENDANT. N. Duh. 

Pendar? Quin. | Hanging pear 7 Erel. 

Pendar, or Knave's pear. Mil. ? For. ? 

It is from the long stem by which this pear is suspended, 
which is near two inches in length, that it obtains its title. The 
entire height of the fruit is twenty-eight lines, and its breadth 
t ^o inches, and sometimes a line more. The form is turbi- 
nate, the skin is ash-coloured, approaching russet, and dotted 
over with small points precisely of the latter colour ; the flesh 
is greenish white, melting, sweet, and partially perfumed ; the 
seeds are a blackish brown, and the fruit ripens at the end or 
September. 

It is very dubious whether the synonymes quoted from Mil- 
ler and Forsyth apply to this fruit. The former quotes 
Tourn. and no other author, and the latter copies the descrip- 
tion from the former. I think it also doubtful whether Quin- 
tinye and Evelyn referred to this pear — they mention the time 
of ripening to be in October. 

DONVILLE. Roz. Duh. 

This pear is of an oblong form, being thirty lines in height 
and twenty-two in breadth— it diminishes towards the eye, 
which is situated in a small cavity, and it becomes still more 
contracted towards the stem, which is about eight lines long 
and inserted in a very small compressed cavity, surrounded by 
some furrows; the skin is smooth, shining, of a lemon colour, 
scattered over with fawn-coloured spots on the shaded side, and 
and of a rather lively red next the sun, with some small light 
gray specks ; the flesh is breaking, white slightly inclining to 
yellowish, of a somewhat acid flavour, not disagreeable how- 
ever at the full maturity of the fruit, which takes place in the 
month of April. The seeds are oblong, perfect, and of a 
night brown hue. 



PEARS. 



85 



PROVENCE. N. Dim. 
Donvilhy of some collections. | Bequesne ? 

This pear is of a pyramidal form, very regularly elongated ; 
it is three inches six or eight lines in height, and twenty-seven 
to twenty-eight lines in diameter ; the eye is inserted even with 
the extremity of the fruit, and the s^em, without being exactly 
in a cavity, is usually surrounded by several furrows ; the skin 
is a lemon colour, scattered over with numerous fawn specks, 
which on the sunny side acquire a russet tint ; the flesh is ra- 
ther Arm, breaking, of a pleasant flavour, combined with an 
agreeable perfume ; the seeds are brown and well perfected, 
and the fruit commences ripening at the end of October, 
When used for cooking, this pear acquires a sweet taste and 
delicious flavour. It is cultivated at the Jardin des Plantes at 
Paris, under the titles given above ; but as two varieties of 
pears have been called by the name of Donville, the title which 
heads this article has been adopted for this one in the New 
Duhamel. I notice that the Bequesne pear is ranged in the 
London Horticultural Society's catalogue, and in some others, 
as a synonyme of this variety, but I follow the New Duhamel 
in keeping them distinct. 

SAINT FRANCOIS. N. Dun. 

This pear has a great resemblance to the Saint Germain, 
but differs from it considerably in quality ; it is four inches 
wanting one or two lines in height, and twenty-four lines broad 
in its greatest diameter ; the skin is light green partially ap- 
proaching yellow, especially at maturity, and is covered with 
very numerous russet specks, and in some cases acquires a 
faint tint of red on the sunny side ; the flesh is firm, with not 
much flavour, and rather insipid ; but when cooked it attains 
a sweet and agreeable taste, and remains white. This fruit 
ripens in November and Dece<iiber. 



86 



PEARS. 



LOUISON. N. DuH. 

This pear is three inches and a half to four inches in height, 
and two inches and a half in diameter ; its form is oblong and 
almost conical, terminated in a rather obtuse point ; the stem 
is six lines long, and inserted within a shallow cavity ; the eye 
is small and but slightly depressed ; the skin, which is delicate 
and smooth, is sometimes washed on the sunny side, and in 
other cases pretty deeply tinged with red, speckled with brown- 
ish red dots — -the other side is of a beautiful yellow colour, 
scattered over with specks of russet ; the flesh is very white, 
melting, full of very pleasant juice, which is slightly perfumed, 
but not of a high flavour ; the fruit ripens at the end of Sep- 
tember or beginning of October, and its colour, the period of 
its maturity, and the defect of soon becoming soft, are almost 
the only points which distinguish it from the Louise-bonne. 
The trees of this kind yield abundantly. The description of 
this variety was transmitted by M. Le Berry ais to M. Michel, 
one of the editors of the New Duhamel. 



OCTOBER CRIMSON. Pk. cat. 
Cramoisi. Duh. 

This pear, which has been lately introduced, is large and of 
a globular form, but often becomes more or less pyramidal. 
The skin, which is at first greenish, becomes yellow at the pe- 
riod of maturity, and the side next the sun attains a beautiful 
crimson hue ; the flesh is breaking, of a fragrant odour, but 
without combining a great deal of flavour. Its period of 
ripening is October ; it is one of those cultivated at the Jardin 
des Plants at Paris, and has recently been added to the col- 
lection of the author. 



PEARS. 



87 



VIRGOULEUSE. Pe. cat. Quin. Evel. Roz. Duh. Mil. 
For. Coxe. 

Le VirgouU, or Virgoulee, '\ 



Chambrette, \ 
Poire de glace, of Gascony, 
La Virguleuse. Mil. syn. 
Ice -pear. Evel. Mil. 
Winter Virgalieu, erroneously. 

The height of this pear is thirty-three to thirty-six lines, 
and its breadth twenty-six to thirty lines at the largest part, 
which is nearly midway of the fruit, and as the section next 
the stem is but slightly contracted and almost as broad as that 
.near the base, it thence results that the general form of the 
fruit is more oval than pyramidal. The stem is short, being 
usually but nine or ten lines in length, and is inserted even 
with the fruit, or in a very small cavity ; the skin is at first 
green, but at maturity becomes of a lemon colour ; the side 
next the sun acquires a slight reddish tint and the whole sur- 
face is dotted over with small reddish specks ; the seeds are 
oblong and brown, and the fruit ripens in December and Ja- 
nuary. Duhamel himself places this among the number of 
the best pears ; the tree is vigorous, but irregular in its growth, 
and difficult to train into an erect or handsome form when 
young. Its bark is rough and the tree is slow to produce 
fruit ; but when it commences bearing, it affords crops pretty 
regularly. It may be grafted on either the quince or pear, 
but it is not recommended to train the trees in espalier form, 
nor to plant standard trees in a southern exposition, because 
the fruit is then apt to crack and become injured. 

This pear takes its title from the village of Virgoule, near 
St. Leonard, in Limousin, where it was first raised and sent 
to Paris by the Marquis of Chambrette, and from the latter 
circumstance has been called after him. Fessenden states that 
this, which he considers one of the finest French pears, is in 





88 PEARS, 

the section of country around Boston very apt to crack in the 
same manner as the Crasanne, and warns cultivators in the 
country against planting it unless they have terraces or walls. 

ROUGEAUDE. N. Dun. 

Although this variety is described in the New Duhamel, it 
is there stated that it would not have been noticed by the edi- 
tors, if the figure had not been executed before they were fully 
acquainted with the quality of the fruit. With this remark I 
should pass it over here, were it not that I wish to fulfil the 
pledge made in the prospectus, that this work should contain 
all the descriptions of pears comprised in that publication. 

The form of this pear is a pretty regular pyramid ; it is 
thirty-two to thirty-six lines in height, and twenty-seven to 
thirty lines in its greatest diameter ; the stem, which is ten 
lines to an inch in length, is inserted even with the extremity 
of the fruit, and the eye is situated in a small cavity with per- 
fectly regular edges ; the shade side of the skin is yellowish, 
that next the sun, and indeed three-fourths of the fruit is of a 
darker or lighter shade of red ; the flesh is firm and dry, with 
some sweetness, but rather insipid, and possesses but little fla- 
vour ; the seeds are brown and oblong, and the fruit ripens in 
January. It was presented to the editors by M. Noisette un- 
der the title of Beurre efhyver, but proved to be entirely erro- 
neous, as it possesses none of the qualities of that variety, or 
of others of its class. 

SUMMER VERMIUON. Auth. 
Vermilion d'Ete. N. Duh. 

This pear is round or partially pyriform ; the skin on the 
shade side is greenish yellow, and next to the sun acquires a 
tint of vermilion; the flesh is half-melting, somewhat per- 
fumed, but soon becomes mealy and soft. Its period of ripen- 



PEARS. 



89 



ing is the end of August, and the tree succeeds equally when 
grafted on either the pear or quince. 



LARGE OBLONG. Auth. 
Grosse alongee. N. Duh. 

This fruit is larger than the Mouthwater, or Verte longue, 
and approaches near to that of the common St. Germain ; the 
skin is greenish, dotted over with russet specks, but it becomes 
yellow at the period of maturity, which is in the month of 
October. This variety is cultivated in the Jardin des Plantes 
at Paris. 

CHAT BRUSLE. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. 

Chat hruU. Qum.? Mil. For. 
Pucelle de Saintonge ? 
Chat grille ? 
Burnt cat. Mil, 
Cat-burnt? Evel. 

Pucelle de Xamtonge, } ^.j erroneously. 
Virgin of Xamtonge, 5 

This fruit, which I have in my collection, is thirty-one 
lines in height, and its breadth twenty-two, its shape being 
pyriform, somewhat elongated ; the skin is smooth and shining, 
of a fine bright red next the sun, and a lemon colour in the 
shade ; the flesh is delicate and not gritty, and when subjected 
to cooking acquires a very beautiful red colour ; the seeds are 
black and well matured, and the fruit is suitable for making 
excellent preserves or compotes. It is at maturity in February 
and March. 



MAUNL N. DuH» 

This pear is moderately large, oblong, and rounded ; the 
flesh is rather firm, of agreeable flavour, and the fruit ripens 

12 



90 



PEARS. 



at the end df September. The tree can be ingrafted on ei- 
ther the pear or quince, and is one of the varieties cultivated 
at the Jardin des Plantes at Paris. 

ROUSSELINE. Pr. cat- Roz. Duh. Mil. Fob. 

Poire Rousseline. Duh. Mil. 
Russelin. Quin. ? Evel. ? 

Muscat d longue queue de la Jin d^automne, } ^yj-j ^ ^ 
Long stalked muscat of the end of autumn, )^ • j ' 
Brutte honne, of some English gardens, erroneously. 

The shape of this pear is pretty nearly pyriform, being 
thirty lines in height and twenty-two in its greatest diameter, 
and it is supported by a peduncle which is often near two 
inches in length ; some portion of the skin is yellow, but that 
colour is but partially apparent, as three-fourths and often 
nearly the whole surface is covered with large spots of russet^ 
which by being nearly connected with each other, give the whole 
fruit the appearance of being of that colour ; the flesh is melt- 
ing, of a sweet and very musky flavour, which has a very 
great afiinity to that of the Rousselet ; the seeds are brown 
and generally pretty perfect, and the fruit ripens in the month 
of November. 

CARDINALE. N. Duh. Poit. et Turp. 

This is a very beautiful fruit on account of its regular form 
and brilliant colouring ; it is three inches and a half in height, 
and a little less than three inches in diameter ; the skin at ma- 
turity is yellow where it is shaded and washed with bright red 
next the sun, besides being marked over the whole surface with 
a great number of small round dots, which become brown 
upon the yellow part, and gray upon the red ; the flesh is half- 
breaking, considerably melting, sweet, and agreeable ; the 
most of the seeds are abortive, those which are perfect are 
short, well matured, and brown, particularly at the apex. This 
fruit keeps until March, and is as yet but seldom to be met 
with, even in France, 



PEAftS. 



91 



POIRE PASSANS. Duh. 

Poire du Portugal. Duh. syn. 
Summer Portugal ? 

This fruit is pyriform and somewhat turbinate ; the base is 
round, and the eye is inserted in a deep cavity ; the skin is 
green previous to maturity, but becomes yellow when that pe- 
riod arrives ; the flesh is half-melting and of agreeable flavour, 
and the fruit ripens in the month of October. This variety 
is cultivated at the Jardin des Plantes at Paris. 

BEURRE D'ARDEMPONT. Pr. cat. N. Duh. 

Beurre d^Hardenpont. Lond. Hort. Soc. cat. 

Hardempont, and Hardenpont. 

In the last edition of Duhamel, this fruit is thus described : 
" This pear bears the name of M. d'Ardempoait, canon of 
Tournay, who obtained it from seed and brought it into 
notice. It is one of the most beautiful fruits, and one of the 
best of its class. The proprietors of nurseries cannot be 
too anxious and prompt in obtaining and multiplying it. The 
fruit is of very irregular shape, it would approach considera- 
bly to an ovate form if the end next the stem were not more 
contracted than that next the eye, and if one of its sides was 
not enlarged and distended, whilst the other is compressed and 
diminished in size ; the form of the Martin-sire approaches 
this, but does not resemble it precisely. The skin is smooth 
and almost wholly of a light green hue, which changes to yel- 
low at the period of maturity ; the surface of the fruit is not 
uniform on account of its being here and there enlarged by 
swellings or projections, and on the side which is compressed 
there is also a furrow running the whole length from the eye 
to the stem, which is about two inches long and inserted rather 
laterally, in a small cavity surrounded by ridges or protube- 
rances. The pear from which this description was made 
measured four inches in height, and three in breadth at its 



92 



PEARS. 



greatest diameter ; the flesh melting, abounding exceedingly 
in sweet perfumed juice, with a trifling degree of acidity and 
of the most exquisite taste. Of ten seeds contained in it, four 
were abortive, the others were large and perfect and of a light 
brown hue. The fruit ripens in December, and from appear- 
ance soon becomes soft. It was transmitted to M. Michel, one 
of the editors of the work, by M. Vanakere of Lille." 

WINTER BONCHRETIEN. Pr. cat. Evel. Mil. For. Coxe. 

Bon Chretien d'Mver. Quin. Roz. Mil. 
Good Christian of winter. 
Winter good Christian, 
Poire d^Angoise. 

The pears of this variety are usually four inches in height 
and three in breadth ; but there are frequently however some 
whose dimensions much exceed this. Duhamel himself states 
having met with them measuring six inches long and four in 
diameter. The usual form is that of a truncate pyramid — - 
they likewise often resemble a young calebash ; the head is 
very large and the eye is placed in a depression more or less 
hollowed, surrounded by protuberances which extend over a 
part of the surface of the fruit in such a manner as to form 
angular ridges — the end next to the stem diminishes greatly in 
size, but without terminating in a point ; on the contrary, it is 
nearly always obliquely truncate or obtuse, and the stem, which 
is in general very long, being always tw^o and a half inches or 
more in length, is also inserted obliquely, with protuberances 
and ridges around its insertion. The skin is light green, 
which varies to yellow at full maturity, and in good expositions 
the side next the sun acquires a faint tint of red ; the flesh is 
breaking, rather delicate, very dry when it is not perfectly ripe 
and mature, but when it has fully attained that point, it becomes 
pretty abundant in sweet juice, which even has a small degree 
of odour. The seeds rarely attain to a perfect state, and in 
general are half abortive, and in some cases entirely so. This 
fruit begins to ripen in February and keeps until May, not be- 



PEARS. 



93 



ing subject to become soft. The tree when ingrafted upon 
the quince produces fruit that is larger, higher coloured, and 
more delicate than the trees propagated on the pear. This 
variety is said to be rather slow in producing fruit, but when 
the tree is of sufficient size to commence bearing it yields good 
crops. 

SPANISH BONCHRETIEN. Pr. cat. Mil. For. Coxe. 

Bon Chretien d'Espagne. Roz. Duh. Mil. 
Good Christian of Spain. 
Autumn Bonchretien. 

Mansueite, or Amande Suede, of Flanders. 

This pear is very different in its form from the other varie- 
ties of the Bonchretien family, which is that of a pretty regu- 
lar pyramid somewhat inclined ; it is at the largest part thirty- 
one to thirty-two lines in diameter, and four inches less three 
lines in height — some are even met with that are three inches 
in diameter, and four in height ; the section of the fruit near 
the stem is very much contracted, and in such a manner as to 
make that part appear almost acute ; the peduncle is inserted 
in a very small cavity, surrounded by three slight projections. 
The depression where the eye is situated is but a slight one ; 
the skin is smooth, almost entirely even and destitute of swel- 
lings, and on the shade side is of a light green hue, which 
varies to a pale yellow at maturity, but next to the sun be- 
comes a brilliant red, besides which the whole surface is scat- 
tered over with small russet points ; the flesh is firm, breaking, 
abounding in sweet juice which has an agreeable fragrance ; 
the seeds are brown and distended, and the fruit ripens in No- 
vember and December. The foregoing description is from 
the new edition of Duhamel. In the first edition the descrip- 
tion given of this pear differs somewhat from the one here 
stated, as some protuberances or swellings of the fruit are there 
mentioned which the writers in the present case have not ob- 
served on the specimens they have seen. The tree may be in- 
grafted either on the pear or the quince. 



94 



PEARS r 



BONCHRETIEN D'AUCH. Pk. cat. N. Duh. 

D\Auch, but not the Pear d'Auch of Forsyth, which is the Colmar. 
Bon Chretien 'panache. 

This is one of the most beautiful fruits of its class ; it some- 
times attains to five inches and more in height, and four inches 
three lines in breadth ; it is of an irregular pyramidal form, 
greatly resembling a calabash, and especially the kind usu- 
ally called a gourd; its surface is neither even nor regu- 
larly rounded, but on the contrary, is covered with projections 
slightly raised and of considerable breadth, which form them- 
selves into ridges of different shape and extent. The eye is 
placed in a very deep cavity, whose edges present numerous 
protuberances, extending more or less over the rest jof the 
fruit ; the skin is light green, approximating to pale yellow at 
maturity, and wholly scattered over with small dots of deep 
green, some among which are of a russet hue ; the flesh is 
firm, granulated, breaking, and rather melting notwithstand- 
ing, full of sweet juice which is agreeably perfumed. The 
seeds are frequently abortive, and the fruit ripens in November 
and December. 



CHAUMONTEL. Pr. cat. N. Duh. For. 

Bezy de Chaumontelle. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 
Bezy de Chaumonfel. Roz. Coxe. 
Bezi de Chaumonteh O. Duh. 
Besi Chaumontelle. Mil. 
Poire de Chaumontelle. N. Duh. Mil. 
Beurre d^hyver. Roz. Duh. Mil. 
Winter Beurre. 
Winter butter pear. 

The form and the size of this pear are very subject to vary ; 
in ordinary cases it would rather incline to an ovate form if the 
part next to the stem was not narrower than that next the eye ; 
it is not uncommon to find the surface slightly angular on one 
side or the other. It usually measures from twenty-seven lines 



PEARS. 



95 



in breadth and three inches in height, to three inches four lines 
in diameter and three inches seven lines in height—this latter 
measurement is that which Duhamel gives of some pears of 
this kind, which were sent to him from Chaumontel itself ; but 
it appears that this fruit can far surpass these dimensions^ for 
M. Vanakere of Lille, sent to M. Michel a Chaumontel pear, 
which was a foot in circumference, five inches in height, and 
four inches wanting two lines in diameter, and which weighed 
one pound four and a half ounces. In regard to the other 
points, the peduncle, which is almost invariably less than an 
inch in length, is often inserted somewhat laterally, sometimes 
even with the fruit, and at others in a shallow depression sur- 
rounded by small projections ; the eye is situated in a cavity 
varying in size, surrounded with swellings, but sometimes en- 
tirely even and regular ; the skin is usually yellowish, speck- 
led with gray and marked on the sunny side with paler or 
brighter red — sometimes when the gray predominates over the 
surface there is no red visible, but that colour on the other 
hand is more wide-spread and of a brighter hue, when the 
shade side of the fruit is of a lemon colour ; the flesh is very 
melting and abounds with juice, which is sweet, musky, and 
very agreeable ; the seeds are light brown, and the fruit ripens 
in December and keeps until February. It takes its name 
from the locality where it originated about one hundred and 
sixty years since. It is very extensively cultivated and de- 
serves to be so ; it may be ingrafted on either the quince or 
pear. 

ST. GERMAIN. Pr. gat. Evel. Mil, Foe. Coxe, 

Saint Germain, } n d t\ u h/t-i 

InconnuelaFare, ] ^"^^ ^'I- 
Saint Germain hlanc. 

Unknown La Fare. Evel^ Mil. 

This pear is three inches and six to nine lines in height, and 
twenty-eight to thirty lines in its greatest diameter, which is at 
about a third of its height ; the stem, which seldom exceeds 



96 



PEARS. 



eight or nine lines in length, is often inserted obliquely under 
a kind of protuberance ; the skin, which is at first greenish, 
acquires a faint yellow tint at maturity, and is profusely marked 
with russet spots and specks, which render it rather rough to 
the touch — it also sometimes attains, though rarely, a slight 
tinge of red on the sunny side ; the flesh is extremely melting, 
with abundance of juice whose taste has a httle acidity and is 
sweet, rich, musky, and very agreeable. It is to be regretted 
that this fine fruit is subject to often have small gritty or hard 
substances just under the skin and near the seeds, wherever 
the soil is dry and unfavourable. The seeds are brown and 
well matured, and the fruit ripens in November and December, 
and may be kept till three or four months after, as it is not subject 
to decay. It is one of the best winter pears that can be cul- 
tivated, and the trees when in a good rich soil and suitable 
situation, flourish and bear well. I have, however, observed 
that where the ground is not kept cultivated and where the 
trees have become old, the fruit is often small and knotty. I 
would recommend that the ground be kept rich and mellow, 
and that the old trees be treated in the same manner as recom- 
mended for the Summer Bonchretien. 

Much also may depend on the exposition ; for many varie- 
ties of pears are found to attain to great perfection in parti- 
cular locations, when in others they are inferior or worthless. 
Be this as it may, the difliculties, imaginary or real in regard 
to this variety, have caused it to be far less extensively culti- 
vated in late years than formerly, and in some places, and par- 
ticularly in the vicinity of Boston, it has been almost aban- 
doned. On this point Fes^enden makes the following remarks. 

Formerly this most noble variety of the pear family succeeded 
as well in the country around Boston as in the town, but it 
has failed during nearly fifteen years. It has seemed latterly 
to be recovering, and it is advised to continue its culture for a 
few years longer." 

This celebrated fruit derived the title of Inconnue La Fare, 
from its being first discovered upon the banks of a river, 
called La Fare, in the parish of Saint Germain, in France ; 



PEARS. 



97 



and it will be perceived that it also obtained its most popular 
title from the circumstance of original locality. 

This variety can be ingrafted on either the pear or the 
quince. 

LOUISE BONNE. Pr. cat. qum. Roz. Dun, Mil. For. 

Bonne Louise. j Avanchie. 

Good Louise. Evel. j Good Louis, 

This greatly resembles the St. Germain in form, and is also 
nearly of the same size, but it is far from possessing as perfect 
and excellent a flavour. It differs from it besides in its skin, 
which is of a very light green colour, and becomes whitish at 
perfect maturity ; the dots with which it is covered over are 
not dark, and they are so very small that they do not prevent 
it from being smooth ; the flesh is half-melting, sometimes in- 
sipid, at others possessing a partial musky odour, but when 
the tree is planted in a cold and humid situation, the fruit often 
has a mouldy taste ; the seeds are brown, well matured, and 
pointed, and the period at which this pear ripens is in Novem- 
ber and December. I received a pear under this title some 
years since from England, which was much more of a turbi- 
nate form, but deeming it erroneous, I have discontinued its 
culture. 



POIRE A GOBERT. Roz. Dun. 

This fruit is thirty-three lines in height and thirty in diame- 
ter, and its form is like that of a top ; the eye is placed in a 
slight depression, and the stem, which is pretty large and of 
moderate length, is inserted even with the extremity of the 
fruit ; the skin is red next to the sun, and green on the shaded 
side which becomes yellow in ripening ; the flesh is very white, 
half-breaking, and musky ; the seeds are usually abortive and 
the cells very small. This fruit will keep until the month of 
June. 

13 



98 



PEARS, 



KITCHEN PEAR. Auth. 

Poii-e de Cuisine. N. Duh. 

Poire de Cuisine de Varin. Calvel. 

This pear has quite a fine form, but is rather depressed ; 
the skin is of a russet hue, scattered over with gray specks ; 
the flesh is acid and only good when cooked ; it ripens at the 
end of autumn. This variety is cultivated at the Jardin des 
Plantes at Paris. 



PAYENCY. N. Duh. Calvel. 

Poire de Payency, } at u 

n ' J -D^ ' J I N. Duh. syn. 

Poi?'e de Perigord, y 

This pear is oblong and shaped nearly like the Mouthwater 
or Verte-longue ; the skin is at first light green and scattered 
over with small grayish specks, it changes however in ripening 
and becomes yellow ; the flesh is half-melting and of a per- 
fumed flavour ; the fruit is at maturity in October. This new 
variety is cultivated at the Jardin des Plantes at Paris. 



C^SAR. Auth. 

Poire de Cesar. N. Duh. 

This is a large fruit, being often over four inches in height, 
and three inches and a half or more in diameter ; the eye is 
inserted in a narrow and slight cavity ; the skin is smooth, 
pale yellow in the shade and of a deeper yellow next the sun, 
and sometimes very faintly washed with red — the whole surface 
is also scattered over with very small specks ; the flesh is very 
white, more breaking than delicate, and of a rich and some- 
what musky flavour ; the fruit ripens in December, and has 
the demerit of becoming soft very speedily. It is extensively 
cultivated in the French department of Lorraine. 



PEARS. 



99 



APPLE.PEAR. Alth. 

Poif'e pomme. Duh. 

The form of this pear is not regular — it resembles an apple 
disproportionately rounded in its diameter, larger towards the 
eye than towards the stem, which is itself large, short, and in- 
serted in a deep cavity of not much breadth, surrounded with 
projections ; the eye is small, contracted, and sunk in a de- 
pression whose circumference is covered with protuberances ; 
the whole surface of the fruit is uneven, and the skin is a fine 
yellow colour, interspersed with very small russet specks ; the 
flesh approaches to delicate at full maturity, and is of pleasant 
flavour. This fruit, according to M. Le Berryais, will keep 
two years, from whose manuscripts the editors of the New 
Duhamel state they have described this as well as the preced- 
ing variety* 



COLMAR. Pe. cat. Duh. Mil. For. 

Colmart. Roz. Mil. syn. Coxe. 

Colmars. Jard, fruit. 

Poire de Colmar. N. Duh. Mil. 

Poire Manne. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. Mil. syn. 

Manna, and Manne. Mil. syn. and others. 

Belle et bonne. 

Bersamotte tardive, ) j 
LMeBergamoU \ Mil. syn. and others. 

Winter Bergamot, of some English gardens. 
Pear d'Auch. For. and others. 

The shape of this pear is pyramidal and somewhat truncate 
at the base ; it is thirty-two to thirty-three lines in diameter at 
the largest part, and about three inches in height ; the stem, 
which is fifteen or sixteen lines in length, is often inserted even 
with the extremity of the fruit, and in other cases placed at the 
bottom of a pretty deep cavity, surrounded by several projec- 
tions ; the skin, which is at first green, acquires at the time of 
maturity a slightly yellowish tint — all its surface is speckled 



100 



PEARS. 



with small brown dots, and the side next the sun is pretty oftei* 
partially touched with red ; the flesh is melting, sweet, rich, 
and very agreeable ; the seeds are brown, and the fruit ripens 
in January, and keeps until April. It may be propagated on 
both pear and quince. 

The last synonyme I quote with certainty from my own 
knowledge, and it will be perceived that an error long since 
discovered in this country, has been handed down by English 
writers from the year 1767 to the present day. The Poire or 
Pear d'Auch has been invariably described by Forsyth and 
others as different from the Colmar, and that author states even 
in his seventh edition, published in 1824, that its shape is 
" fuller towards the stalk," and that "it is a more abundant 
bearer than the Colmar," when in fact they are not only pre- 
cisely the same, but the tree possesses characters strikingly dis- 
tinct from almost every other variety of pear. 

Even as early as the second autumn of its growth from the 
graft, the bark on the base of the stalk begins to show a de- 
gree of roughness which annually increases as the tree grows 
larger, until the whole body presents not only an extreme de- 
gree of roughness, but becomes covered with cracks and inci- 
sures of considerable width on every part of its surface, and 
in this striking peculiarity I know of no other variety that can 
be mistaken for it. This singular appearance of the bark, 
which is somewhat like that of trees of the Green Newtown 
pippin when ingrafted low, is by some persons supposed to 
arise from an unthriftiness of the tree, when in fact it origi- 
nates from no such cause. 

Fessenden in speaking of the culture of this pear in the vi- 
cinity of Boston, states that the same remarks made by him in 
regard to the Crasanne, and the Virgouleuse, apply also to 
this, viz. that it is only suited to the city, or where the culti- 
vators in the country make an artificial shelter for their treesy 
either by walls, buildings, or terraces. 



PEARS. 



101 



PASSE COLMAR. Pr. oat. Van Mons. N. Duh. 
Pom. mag. Lond. hort. trans. 

Fo„dante de Panisel, ) ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^.^ 
Fotre precel, ^ 

Passe Colmar epineux, ) ^^^^^ ^ond. Hort. Soc. cat. 
Colmar epineux, ^ 

Passe colmar gris, dit Precel. Lond. Hort. Trans. 
Beurre colmar gris, dite Precel, } ^^^^^ ^^^^^ g^^^ ^^^^ 
Chapman s, ^ 
Colmar reid, \ 

Colmar Preul, / various European and American 

Preul s colmar, > . , ^ 

„ , ( catalogues. 

Passe colmar vineux, W ^ 

Beurre d'Argenson ? ) 

Napoleon, of some American gardens. 

This fine Flemish variety has been more extensively culti- 
vated in our country than any other from the same quarter^ 
grafts having been sent some years since from the London 
Horticultural Society, and several trees having been received 
by the author about the same time from the vicinity of theit- 
place of origin. The following description is extracted from 
the Pomological Magazine. 

'* From its ripening late, bearing most abundantly, and pos- 
sessing a peculiarly rich and agreeable flavour, this pear has 
become a universal favourite, and deservedly. It was raised in 
Flanders by a Mr. Hardenpont ( I d' Ardempont, Auth.) to 
whom, in conjunction with Dr. Van Mons and some others of 
his countrymen, we are indebted for several very excellent va- 
rieties of the pear. This is a most abundant bearer, either as 
a standard or upon a wall ; the trees make fine clean wood, 
and have not been observed to have the least canker ; the fruit 
has the flavour and form of the Colmar, whence its name. 

" Wood fine clear yellow brown, sprinkled with a few pale 
brown spots ; leaves small, oval, tapering to both ends, erect 
or spreading, nearly flat, not waved, with a finely toothed mar- 
gin ; stalks rather slender, about an inch in length ; stipules 
linear, sometimes rather more than half the length of the pe- 



102 



PEARS. 



tioles ; the leaves on the fruit spurs are narrower, with much 
longer stalks than those on the young wood ; flowers middle- 
sized, with pointed petals ; fruit middle-sized, obconical, flat- 
tened next the eye, which is open ; stalk about an inch long, 
moderately thick, slightly sunk at its insertion ; skin green, 
when ripe becoming yellowish, sprinkled with russet, and if 
well exposed having a considerable tinge of red ; the surface is 
somewhat uneven, with some slight longitudinal furrows, run- 
ning downwards from the stalk end ; flesh yellowish, melting, 
buttery, juicy, very rich, and most excellent. It is said on the 
continent to be in season from December to February ; it will 
keep till the latter period with us (in England), but December 
and January are the months in which it is in its greatest per- 
fection." 

I will now extract the description of the same fruit from the 
New Duhamel, which was published in 1825, when the charac- 
ter of this fruit was not so well known. 

" This pear has quite a regular pyramidal shape, sometimes 
however it is more inclined to a turbinate form ; it is thirty to 
thirty-two lines in height, and twenty-four to twenty-six in 
breadth ; the stem, which is fifteen to eighteen lines in length, 
is somewhat enlarged at its junction with the fruit ; the eye is 
even with the extremity of the fruit, without any depression or 
any remarkable projection ; the skin which is at first greenish, 
becomes of a light yellow at perfect maturity, and it is often 
marked in difierent places by large russet spots ; the flesh is 
rather firm, pleasant and sweet ; the seeds are brown, and the 
fruit ripens in January and February." 

In regard to the synonymes, the seven first named are given 
in the Pomological Magazine, to which I have added the resi- 
due from my own opinion in regard to them ; and I scarcely 
deem any of those annexed by me to be dubious, although I 
have annexed to one of them an expression of doubt. 

The synonyme " Chapman's," extracted from the Pomolo- 
gical Magazine, is said in that work to have derived its origin 
from the circumstance of some grafts of this kind falling into 
the hands of a market gardener of that name, at an early pe- 



PEARS, 



103 



riod of its introduction to Britain, by whom it was extensively 
sold under his own name. But there are two other pears 
which bear the name of Chapman, one of which is cultivated 
in France and is enumerated in several of the catalogues of 
that country ; the other is a variety so called about Phila- 
delphia, which I have in my collection. It is necessary there- 
fore to be watchful, or we may be led into error in adopting 
this synonyme. 

TARQUIN. Pr. cat. Duh. 

This pear is oblong, its form very much approaching that of 
the Epargne, or Jargonelle of the English, but it is slightly 
flattened at the base, and rather more pointed next the stem, 
which is of moderate length, and enlarged near its junction 
with the fruit, where it presents a fleshy appearance. The 
skin is delicate and at full maturity becomes greenish yellow, 
marbled over with fawn colour ; a shallow groove extends from 
one end of the fruit to the other ; the flesh is breaking without 
being dry, rather delicate, and has a slight acidity in its fla- 
vour somewhat resembling that of the Easter Bergamot, or 
Bergamotte de Basques. This pear does not ripen until in 
April and May« 

POIRE DE JARDIN. P^. cat. Duh. Coxe, 

Poirier de Jardin, Roz. | Garden pear. 

This fruit is flattened at the head, and its form is nearly glo- 
bular like the Orange pears ; it is two and a half inches in 
diameter, and two inches three lines in height ; the eye is in- 
serted in a cavity which is usually of regular form and rather 
deep, and the stem, which is whitish green, large at its extre- 
mity and eight or nine lines in length, is situated in a small 
cavity that is contracted and shallow ; the skin is somewhat 
pimpled, and on the side exposed to the sun is a beautiful dark 



104 



PEARS. 



red, scattered over with golden yellow dots, whereas the shade 
side is speckled and striped with light red upon a yellow 
ground ; the flesh is half-melting, somewhat coarse and some- 
what gritty around the seeds, of a sweet flavour and excellent 
taste ; the seeds are long, dark brown, and lodged in broad 
cells around a hollow centre. This is a valuable fruit and 
ripens in December. 



FRANC-REAL. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. Mil. For. 



Frank Royal ? Quin. Evel. 



Fine gold of winter, Pr. cat. 



Fin or d'hiver. Mil. syn. Golden end of winter. Mil. For. 

Gros micet. 

Nothing can show in a stronger light the complete system 
of copying from each other pursued by most of the English 
horticultural writers for a long period, than the circumstance 
that even original errors and mistranslations have been handed 
down for ages. The last synonyme above given is one of 
this description and is a mistranslation of the second synonyme, 
which by reference to Miller and other English works, will be 
found to have been copied from one to another from a very 
remote period down to the improved edition of Forsyth, pub- 
lished in 1824, where it is again repeated. I now proceed to 
describe this pear, the description of which in Forsyth is not 
correct. 

The form of this fruit is somewhat turbinate, being two inches 
ten lines in diameter and the same in height ; sometimes it is 
much larger and almost pyriform, having rather more height 
than breadth — the largest part of the fruit is about the middle ; 
the skin is greenish, scattered over with dots and small spots^ of 
russet, and becoming yellowish at perfect maturity ; the flesh 
is firm and excellent for cooking and preserves ; the seeds are 
large, flat, and dark brown, and the fruit ripens in October and 
will keep till in December ; the tree is of vigorous growth 
and productive in its crops, and may be ingrafted on both the 
pear and quince. 



PEARS. 



105 



BEqUESNE. Pr. CAT. Roz. Duh. Coxe. 

Bequene. Quin. ? Evel. ? 

This pear is two inches six lines in height, and two inches 
four lines in diameter ; it is often somewhat protuberant at one 
side and arched on the other — its greatest diameter is about 
midway of its height, and it diminishes in size towards the two 
extremities, especially next to the stem ; the skin is slightly 
tinged with red next the sun, and in a great measure covered, 
especially on that side with dots and spots of a grayish or rus- 
set hue ; the shade side acquires a lemon colour when the fruit 
is ripening. The flesh is firm, but it becomes soft and acquires 
a beautiful colour when cooked, and is excellent for that pur- 
pose and for preserves. It begins to ripen in October, and keeps 
until in February. The tree is strong and vigorous, and suc- 
ceeds better when grafted on the pear than on the quince. De 
la Quintinye mentions a pear called Bequene at that day, but 
I scarcely suppose it can be synonymous with the one described. 

WINTER THORN. Pr. cat. Miz. 
Epine d^hiver. Roz. Duh. Mil. For. Coxe. 

This fruit is twenty-six lines in diameter and thirty in height, 
the end next the stalk diminishes by degrees and terminates in 
a very obtuse point ; the stem is pretty large, ten to fourteen 
lines in length, and somewhat fleshy at its junction — it is 
sometimes inserted even with the extremity of the fruit, and in 
other cases between several furrows and small projections, 
which form a kind of cavity at the place of its insertion. 
Frequently there is a shallow groove quite conspicuous, which 
extends from the stem to the eye, the latter of which is situated 
nearly even with the extremity of the fruit ; the skin is uniform and 
very smooth, of a whitish green hue, but becomes very yellow 
at maturity ; the flesh is melting, of a musky flavour, and very 
agreeable taste ; the seeds are oblong, well perfected, and of 

14 



106 



PEAR5. 



a light brown colour, and the fruit commences ripening in 
November, and keeps sometimes to the end of January ; the 
tree requires a good exposure — in soils that are dry it should 
be grafted on the pear, and in humid soils on the quince. 



WONDER OF WINTER. Pr. cat. Mil. SYN. COXE, 

Merveille d^hiver. Roz. Dull. Mil. syn. Coxe. 
Petit oin, Roz. Duh. syn. Mil. syn. 
Bouvar. Mil. 
Little lard, i 
Amaaont, ^ 

Rousset, or Rousseite d^Anjou. Mil. erroneously. 

This pear is usually round, being twenty-six lines in diame- 
ter and twenty-eight in height ; the part about the head is 
quite round, and the eye, which is large, is situated even with 
the fruit ; the stem is slender, short, and a little curved, and is 
inserted within a small cavity — sometimes it is rather long and 
its junction even with the extremity of the fruit ; the skin 
is somewhat rough, greenish, and often scattered over with 
small protuberances, and changes to a yellowish hue at matu- 
rity ; the flesh is melting, of a sweet flavour, musky, and very 
agreeable to the taste. This fruit ripens in November, and 
the tree is handsome when ingrafted on the pear, but does not 
do well on the quince. It is very productive, but in order to 
have excellent fruit, it should be planted in a soil which is nei- 
ther cold nor humid, and in a good exposure. 



VITRIER. Pe. cat. Roz. Duh. 

This pear is large and oval, being two inches and a half in 
diameter, and two inches ten lines in height ; the eye is large 
and quite open, very slightly depressed, and the stem, which is 
moderately large and about an inch in length, is inserted even 
with the fruit amid some projections ; the skin is smooth, deep 
red speckled with brown points on the sunny side, and on the 
shade side of a light green hue, dotted over with a deeper 
shade of the same colour ; the flesh is white, but not very de- 



PEARS. 



107 



Ucate, and the juice is of quite an agreeable taste ; the seeds 
are black, and the fruit ripens in November or December. 

GROSSE POIRE DE VITRIER. N. Duh. 

Great pear of Vitrier, Auth. 

Duhamel after giving the preceding description, states that 
he believes the true Vitrier, which he found under that name in 
many gardens, is different — 'that it is a very beautiful and very 
large fruit, of a turbinate form, flattened at the base, and ter- 
minating at the stem in a point moderately obtuse. This pear 
is three inches nine lines in diameter, and four inches wanting 
one line in height; the skin is smooth, scattered over with nu- 
merous fawn specks of a bright red next the sun, and lemon 
colour on the shaded side ; the flesh is white, of rather agree- 
able taste, and partially perfumed with musk ; the fruit ripens 
in November and December ; the tree is very vigorous, and 
succeeds when ingrafted on the quince. 

DOUBLE FLOWERING. Pr. cat. Mil. 

Douhle-Jleur. Quin. Roz. Duh. Mil. 
Armenie. 

Armenian, > v ] 

The Double fiower, \ ^^^^ 

This tree acquires its leading title from its flowers being 
semi-double, they having ten to fifteen petals ; the fruit is round 
and flattened, its diameter being thirty lines, and its height 
but twenty-six lines ; the head is flat, and the eye is there placed 
in a broad and regular depression ; the stem is eleven lines 
long, and inserted within a contracted cavit}' ; the side of the 
skin which is shaded is green, but becomes yellow as the fruit 
ripens — the opposite side is red ; the whole fruit is besides in- 
terspersed with some dots and small spots of a gray colour ; 
the flesh is breaking, and good only when cooked ; the seeds 
are dark brown, broad and flat, and the fruit ripens in Febru- 
ary, March, and April. 



108 



PEARS. 



DOUBLE FLOWERING, with striped fruit. Pr. oat. 

Double jleiir panacMe. Roz. N. Duh. 

This is a subvariety of the preceding, which is distinguished 
by the colour of its skin, which is striped with green and yel- 
low, marked with large red dots on the side next the sun, and 
speckled with points and small spots of a gray hue ; the tree 
may be ingrafted both on the pear and the quince. 

PRIEST'S-PEAR. Auth. 

Poire de Pretre. Roz. Duh. 

This pear is twenty-seven lines in height and twenty-eight 
in diameter, its form being nearly globular ; the eye is inserted 
within a broad and shallow depression, and the stem, which is 
about nine lines in length, is implanted in a more marked ca- 
vity ; the skin is ash-gray, scattered over with small light gray 
dots ; the flesh is while, half-breaking, with a slightly acid 
flavour, and rather pleasant ; it is subject to be gritty near the 
seeds, which are very dark brown, well matured, somewhat ob- 
long, and contained in broad cells ; the fruit ripens in the 
month of February. 

TONNEAU. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. 

This pear is of very fine form and very large size ; it is four 
inches three to six lines in length, and two inches nine lines to 
three inches in its greatest diameter ; the stem is twelve to 
thirteen lines in length and inserted within a cavity surrounded 
by some protuberances ; the skin is at first light green, scat- 
tered over with numerous small specks of deeper green, and 
becomes yellow at the maturity of the fruit — the side exposed 
to the sun acquires a greater or less degree of red ; the flesh 
is firm, with a partial acidity ; the fruit ripens in October and 
November^ and often keeps until in February and March ; it 



PEAUS. 



109 



is far better when cooked or made into preserves ( compotes) 
than raw ; the tree is vigorous, and can be grafted on either 
the pear or the quince, 

CHAPTAL. Pr. cat. N. Duh. 

This fruit is of pyramidal form, four inches wanting three 
lines in height, and twenty-three lines in diameter at the broad- 
est part ; the stem, which is about an inch long, is usually in- 
serted somewhat obliquely in a small cavity, in consequence of 
one side being covered with a protuberance which inclines it 
sideways ; the eye is situated in a depression neither deep nor 
wide, and regularly formed in its circumference ; the skin is 
of a rather dull green, varying to yellowish at perfect maturity 
— the side exposed to the sun's rays attains a slight reddish 
iint ; the flesh is firm, somewhat dry, pleasant, accompanied 
by a little sweetness, but not high flavoured — when cooked, 
however, it acquires a very sweet flavour ; the seeds are brown, 
very oblong and much pointed; the most part being abortive ; 
the cells which contain them are arranged round the axis of 
the fruit which is hollow ; this pear ripens in January and Feb- 
ruary ; it was raised from seed some years since by M. Hervy, 
director of the Luxembourg nursery, who gave it the title at- 
tached to it, and by whom it was presented to the editors of 
the New Duhamel. M. Chaptal, whose name it bears, was 
then Minister of the Interior, and it was under his auspices 
that the celebrated nursery referred to was re-established, which 
had been previously known by the name of Chartreux. 

CATILLAC. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. Mil. For. 

Cadillac. 

Franc real, of some American gart^ens. 

This pear is a very beautiful fruit, commonly quite round at 
the head and diminishing more or less in size towards the stalk, 
which gives it a somewhat turbinate form ; it is three inches 
eight or nine lines in its greatest diameter, and three inches 



110 



PEARS. 



three to five lines in height ; the stem is short, being often but 
seven or eight lines in length, and is inserted vs^ithin a slight 
depression whose edges are rather even ; the skin is hght green, 
more or less speckled with small red dots, and becomes pale 
yellow at maturity, attaining next the sun a lighter or darker 
red hue ; the flesh is white, firm, breaking, and of an acid fla- 
vour, which is sometimes meliorated in particular cases where 
the fruit is well ripened ; when cooked this pear acquires a 
fine colour approaching to red, and is of a very pleasant sweet 
taste ; the seeds are oblong and small comparatively with the 
magnitude of the fruit, which ripens in November and De- 
cember, and may be preserved the whole winter ; it is only 
eaten when cooked and comes under the denomination of bak- 
ing pears, being used for that purpose and for compotes ; the 
tree is very vigorous, and succeeds better grafted on the pear 
than on the quince. 

RATEAU. Pr. cat. N. Duh. 
Gros Raieau. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

This pear is as large as the Catillac, but is more of a tur- 
binate form, being usually three inches and a half in its greatest 
diameter, and a line or two less in height ; the stem is six or 
eight lines long at most, and inserted within a small cavity, 
one side of which is more elevated than the other — the eye 
on the contrary is situated in a pretty deep cavity, whose sides 
are very even and regular ; the skin on the shade side is green- 
ish white, and of a vermilion colour on the side opposite, and 
is strewed all over with numerous small specks of a russet hue; 
the flesh is firm, breaking, rather sweet, with a partial odour 
and of agreeable taste — when cooked it acquires a very slight 
rosy tint and a delicious flavour ; the seeds are almost invari- 
ably abortive, and the fruit ripens in December and January. 
This is a fine pear and merits extensive dissemination ; in a 
raw state it is suitable to form an ornament for the dessert dur- 
ing a part of the winter, and it is sufficiently agreeable to be 



TEARS. 



Ill 



eaten with pleasure, and when cooked it forms excellent com- 
potes. It derives its title from the gardener who first culti- 
vated it. 

GILLOGILLE. Pe. cat. N.Duh. 

Gihgil. Pom. Mag. Lend. Hort. Trans. 
Gile-6-gile. Noisette Man. 
Garde-ecorce. 

Gros gobet, } of some French gardens, but not the Poire 
Dagobert, ^ d ^o&eri of Duhamel. 

The following is the description of this fruit as given by 
Duhamel. 

The fruit is round, almost turbinate, being three inches 
three lines in height, and of the same measurement in its 
greatest diameter ; the stem is situated in a cavity with regular 
edges, and nearly as deep as that which receives the eye ; the 
skin is partially rough, yellow at maturity, and almost wholly 
covered with russet spots, and in some cases slightly tinged 
with red next to the sun ; the flesh is breaking, of a flavour 
slightly acid, and scarcely to be deemed agreeable, as it leaves 
a great portion of huskiness and astringency in the mouth. It 
ripens in October and November, and is more in use for cook- 
ing than for eating raw^, and in the former case acquires the 
taste of an apple. 

De la Quintinye and Evelyn mention a pear then known 
by the titles of Carmelite, Mazuer, or Gilogiles, ripening in 
November and suitable for baking ; but they could scarcely 
have referred to the present variety. Miller also describes a 
pear under the title of Carmelite, which he states is in season 
in March, and quotes Tournefort as authority. 

This pear is also figured and described in the Pomological 
Magazine, and I extract the following remarks from that work. 

*' A valuable winter pear, although not of first rate excel- 
lence. It is a great bearer, has a tolerably pleasant flavour, 
is very handsome, and keeps well till March. As a baking 
pear it is particularly useful, but it is diflicult to stew whole on 
account of its becoming too soft. According to the French, 



112 



PEARS, 



this will remain in use till April and May ; we have not seen 
any instance of its possessing such a property in England, but 
it probably would if grown on an open standard, for which it 
is well adapted. It should however be observed, that the pe- 
riod of ripening in pears depends very much upon the time at 
which their blossoms open ; fruit produced by late blossoms 
will invariably keep later than such as comes from early blos- 
soms ; hence it happens not unfrequently, that chambered fruit 
will vary as much as a month or six weeks in the time of its 
being fit for the table. 

" Wood very vigorous, bright brown, with numerous small 
russet spots ; leaves thick, flat, recurved, regularly serrated ; 
flowers middle-sized, roundish oval ; fruit large, roundish, 
flattened at the top and not tapering into the stalk ; eye large 
and deep ; stalk short, deeply inserted ; skin a deep close rus- 
set, a little tinged with red next the sun ; flesh white, juicy, 
breaking, a little gritty, sweet, and pleasant." 

BEAUTY OF WINTER. Auth. 

Bellissime d^hiver, Roz. Duh. | Teton de Venus. 

De Bur. 

This pear is of round form next the head, and as it becomes 
somewhat contracted towards the opposite end, it thence de- 
rives a turbinate shape ; it measures thirty-six to thirty-eight 
lines in height, and thirty-four to thirty-six in diameter ; the 
stem and the eye are almost even with the extremities of the 
fruit ; the skin in the shade is light green, changing to pale 
yellow at maturity, and the part exposed to the sun becomes of 
a crimson hue — the whole surface is besides profusely strewed 
with small grayish specks ; the flesh is firm, rather dry, bland, 
and somewhat agreeable ; the seeds are large and of a light 
brown hue, and the fruit ripens in November and December, 
and keeps till in May. It is far better cooked than raw, and 
pretty good compotes may be made with it. 



PEARS. 



113 



SAINT-PERE. DuH. 

^aint'Pair. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. 
Holy Father. 

The form of this fruit is pyriform, or we may rather say 
pyramidal ; it is three inches in height and thirty-three lines in 
diameter ; the eye is situated within a slight depression, and 
the stem, which is six to twelve lines in length, is inserted 
within a very small cavity ; the skin, which is green before 
maturity, becomes yellowish when that period arrives, and the 
side next the sun acquires a tint of dull red ; the flesh is dry 
and rather firm, but tender notwithstanding when fully ripe, 
and of a bland flavour ; when cooked it makes excellent com- 
potes ; the seeds are brown and oblong, covered at the point 
and a little above with a small membrane ; the fruit ripens in 
March, and may be kept till in J une. I have transcribed the 
foregoing description from the New Duhamel. In the ori- 
ginal edition of that work this pear is not stated to be as large 
as the dimensions here given it, being there recorded as mea- 
suring twenty-six lines in diameter and twenty-eight in height. 

PASTORALE, Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. Mil. Foe. 

Musette d'automne. Quin. ? Roz, syii. Duh. syn. Mil. syn. 
Pastourelle. Quin. ? Evel. ? 
Bagpipe of Autumn. Evel. ? 
Petit Rateau. 

This fruit is two inches six to eight lines in diameter, and 
three inches four to eight lines in height ; it is of a pretty re- 
gular pyramidal form, diminishing a little in size at the head, 
where the eye is placed nearly even with tlie fruit, the part next 
the stem is elongated and its si^e lessens pretty regularly — it 
is not pointed, but rounded at the extremity, where the stem, 
which is twelve to fourteen lines in length, is inserted even 
with the surface of the fruit, and sometimes upon a kind of 

15 



114 



PEARS. 



spiral protuberance ; the skin is light green, interspersed with 
red spots, and becomes yellow at maturity, when the sunny 
side also acquires a red tint ; the flesh is somewhat firm, mode- 
rately melting, and of a musky and agreeable flavour ; the 
seeds are broad, short, and very often abortive, and the fruit 
ripens in November and December ; the tree succeeds better 
on the pear than on the quince. 

De la Quintinye and Evelyn mention a pear then cultivated, 
which bore the title of Pastourelle, Musette d'automne, or 
Bagpipe of autumn, from which circumstance it would appear 
that this fruit was known to the gardens of that day. 

ST. AUGUSTIN^ Pk. cat. Evel. 

Saint Augustin, Quin. Roz. Duh. 
St. Austin. Mil. For. 
Poire de Pise, 

This pear is thirty lines in height and twenty-two in diame- 
ter ; it is swollen about the middle and diminishes in size to- 
wards the head, where the eye is placed even with the fruit — 
its size is still smaller at the other extremity, which terminates 
in an obtuse point, and in which the stem of an inch in length 
is inserted among some protuberances without any appa- 
rent depression ; the skin, which is at first green, becomes a 
light yellow at the time of ripening, the side exposed to the 
sun's rays is faintly tinged with red, and the whole surface is 
more or less scattered over with brown specks ; the flesh is 
hard and of a musky flavour ; the seeds are black, oblong, 
and quite perfect, and the fruit ripens in December and Janu- 
ary ; the tree may be ingrafted either upon the pear or the 
quince. 

CHAMP.RICHE D'lTALlE. Pe. cat. Roz. Duh. 

Riche d'ltalie. \ Italian rich field. Auth. 

This fruit is three inches and a half in height and two inches 
seven lines in diameter at the most swollen point, which is about 



PEARS, 



115 



midway of its length ; the eye is pretty large, placed in a 
broad and slightly hollowed depression ; the part next the stalk 
diminishes considerably in size, and terminates in an almost 
acute point at the place where the stem is inserted ; the skin is 
light green, interspersed with specks and small spots of a 
grayish hue ; the flesh is white, half-breaking, not gritty, and 
is very good cooked and in compotes ; there are usually in 
this fruit but four seminal cells, each of which contains two 
oblong seeds that are slender, curved towards the point, and of 
a light brown colour ; this pear ripens in December and J a- 
nuary ; the tree is vigorous, and may be grafted on the pear 
and the quince. 

LANSAC. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. Mil. Fok. 

Satin vert ? Quin. 
Green satin ? Evel. 

This fruit is almost globular, its diameter being nearly 
equal to its height, the former measures twenty-three lines and 
the latter twenty-four ; the eye is situated in a slight depres- 
sion, and frequently nearly even with the fruit ; the stem is 
large, seven to ten lines in length, fleshy at its junction, and 
sometimes inserted even with the extremity, and at others in a 
small cavity ; the skin is smooth and yellow ; the flesh melting, 
and of a sweet, rich, and agreeable flavour ; the seeds are or- 
dinarily abortive ; the fruit begins ripening at the end of Oc- 
tober and keeps sometimes till in January : the tree may be 
grafted upon the pear and the quince. 

TROUVE, Roz. DuH« 

The form of this pear is very regular ; it is twenty-nine 
lines in height, and twenty-seven in diameter ; the eye is large, 
very open, and placed nearly even with the fruit ; the stem, 
which is fifteen to eighteen lines in length, large at its extre- 



116 



PEARS. 



mity and somewhat fleshy at its origin, is inserted rather ob 
liquely at the point of and even with the fruit ; the skin is 
lemon colour where shaded, and sometimes faintly tinged with 
light red — on the side exposed to the sun it is a bright and 
pretty deep red, — the whole surface is also interspersed with 
very small specks, which are red upon the yellow ground and 
light gray upon the red ; the flesh is white inclining to yellow, 
breaking, not gritty, and of a sweet and agreeable flavour ; 
the seeds are short, quite perfect, not much pointed, and of a 
brown hue, and the fruit ripens in January and can be pre- 
served until in April ; it is good when cooked, but at its per- 
fect maturity it answers very well to be eaten raw. 

IMPERIAL. Pe. cat. 

Imperial oak leaved. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Imperiale d feuille de Chene. Roz. O. Duh. Coxe. 

Imperiale. N. Duh. Die. d'Agric. 

Oak leaved. 

This pear is two inches nine lines in height, and two inches 
three lines in diameter ; it is rounded at the head, and the eye, 
which is small, is there placed almost even with the fruit ; the 
part next the stalk diminishes almost uniformly in size, and its 
extremity is obtuse ; the stem is ten lines long, pretty lai'ge 
especially at its origin, and inserted in the centre of a flattened 
space ; the skin, which is at first green and very even, becomes 
wrinkled when it approaches maturity and by degrees attains 
a yellow colour ; the flesh is melting and of a sweet flavour ; 
the seeds are large, brown, quite perfect, and terminate in a 
long point ; this fruit has commonly but four cells ; it ripens 
in April and May, and although it is not deemed excellent, it 
has some merit at that season : the tree is vigorous, and may 
be ingrafted on the pear and the quince ; the leaves are very 
large, denticulated without much regularity, and plaited and 
undulated on their borders in such a manner that they appear 
as if cut, and resemble a small leaf of frizzled cabbage, lathei 
than an oak leaf- 



PEAKS. 



117 



FRENCH POUND PEAR. Pr. cat. 

Poire de livre. Duh. Mil. 
Pound pear, 
Gros Rateau gris, 

Great rake pear, I ^j.j^ 

Poire d^amour, ^ ' J ' 

Black pear of Worcester, 
Parkinson's warden. 

This fruit from the similarity of title has been in many cases 
supposed to be synonymous with our common Pound pear, but 
it is widely different, as a comparison of the descriptions will in- 
dicate. This receives its name from the circumstance that it is 
not rare to find specimens of the fruit weighing a pound. Its 
form, although approaching considerably that of the Catillac, 
is nevertheless different from it, being more decidedly turbi- 
nate; and also because it is only rounded at one end, the other 
being sensibly depressed. Its height is three inches five to six 
lines, and its greatest diameter three inches eight lines— those 
of small size are four to six lines less ; the stem, which is four- 
teen to fifteen lines in length, is inserted in a small cavity, one 
of the sides of which is more elevated than the other ; the 
skin is greenish, and becomes yellow at maturity, but it is 
often so abundantly covered with grayish spots and russet 
specks that the ground colour is only partially apparent ; the 
flesh is firm, with a little acidity, but its flavour is not disagree- 
able. In cooking it acquires a faint rosy tint and a sweet 
taste, which greatly improves it ; but it is very seldom eaten 
raw. The seeds are brown and oblong, and the fruit ripens 
in December and the two following months. The two last 
synonymes adopted by Miller I think want confirmation. 



TREASURE. Pn. cat. 

Poire d' amour. Quin.? N. Duh. j Tresor, ? o -n i 
Tresor d'amour. Roz. | Amour, \ ' 

Love pear. Evel. ? 

This is one of the largest fruits of its class ; it is four inches 
nine lines in height and much bulged about the middle, where 



118 



PEARS. 



it is usually four inches in diameter, and its two extremities 
are contracted nearly in the same proportion ; the skin is a 
little rough to the touch, and at first of a greenish hue, some- 
times it is marked with fawn spots that become proportionably 
apparent as the fruit approaches maturity, at which period the 
green becomes changed to yellow ; the flesh is tender, break- 
ing, half-melting when fully ripe, and of a sweet and bland 
flavour ; the seeds, which are contained in narrow cells, are 
most generally small and abortive ; the pear, which is good 
raw and still better when cooked, begins to ripen in December^ 
and keeps until in February and March. 



FORTY OUNCES. Pr. cat. 
Quarante onces. N. Duh. Lond. Hort. cat. 

This fruit seems to have been so little known about Paris at 
the time of the publication of the last edition of Duhamel, in 
1825, that the editors of that work acknowledge their indebt- 
edness to a gentleman of Provence, one of the most southern 
districts of France, for the pears which enabled them to make 
their description, and which they say had not yet attained 
their full development— from which circumstance we may con- 
fidently infer, that they could not fully judge what are the en- 
tire merits of the variety at its complete maturity. The fol- 
lowing description is copied from the work referred to. 

" Of all the varieties this would be, without doubt, the larg- 
est, if in the comparison we excepted the Treasure pear, or 
Poire d' amour just described, — and the title which it bears is 
particularly indicative of its magnitude ; it appears necessary 
however to notice, that it is according to the customary pounds 
of Provence that this fruit has been found to weigh forty 
ounces, and even more. The one that we shall proceed to 
describe, and which had not attained its full growth, weighed 
twenty-seven and a half ounces according to the customary 
weight at Paris. Its general form was turbinate, being four inches 
and a half in diameter, and four inches in height; its surface 



PEARS. 



119 



was raised here and there by some slight projections of consi- 
derable breadth ; the eye was placed in a broad depression, 
with a pretty regular border, and the stem, of an inch in 
length, was placed in a cavity, one side of which was even, 
whilst the other presented two large protuberances ; the skin 
was almost wholly a lemon colour, with a faint reddish tint on 
the side next the sun, and the whole surface was likewise inter- 
spersed with numerous russet specks ; the flesh was white, 
firm, breaking, granulated, of an agreeable odour, with an 
acid flavour which scarcely allowed of its being eaten raw — 
when cooked, however, it acquires a red colour, and a sweet 
and very pleasant flavour ; the seeds are dark brown, and 
nearly always abortive. This elegant fruit is cultivated in 
Provence, where it ripens in October and November, and will 
doubtless keep well and become meliorated in its quality dur- 
ing the winter months. The proprietors of the Parisian nur- 
series are advised to cultivate it on account of its size, which 
renders it a suitable ornament for the dessert, and on account 
of its excellence when cooked. A single pear is large enough 
to make a compote." 



BELLE AUDIBERT. Pr. cat. N. Duh. Lond. hort. cat. 

This pear was also sent from Provence to the editors of the 
New Duhamel, as a variety of the Forty ounces, or Quarante- 
onces just described ; but it appeared of too distinct a charac- 
ter, in its general form, not to be distinguished, and they in 
consequence gave it the title it bears. 

It varies from the Forty ounces by being less in size and 
pretty regularly rounded — in having its surface free from nu- 
merous swellings and projections, and by being somewhat com- 
pressed in its breadth ; it is four inches wanting a line in its 
diameter in one direction, and only three inches three lines in 
the other ; its height is also but three inches one or two lines ; 
the skin is a very pale yellow on the shaded side, and the part 
opposite is of a light orange colour, with two or three oblong 
touches of russet ; the flesh is firm, breaking, granulated, of 



120 



PEARS. 



an agreeable odour, and an acid flavour like that of the Forty 
ounces, and it is likewise very good when cooked ; this fruit 
begins to ripen in the month of November. 

BELLE BESSA. N. Duh. 

This pear is very beautiful, and measures four inches in 
height, and three inches at its greatest diameter, which is nearly 
at the middle of its height, as the two extremities diminish 
very perceptibly, especially that next the stem, which is in- 
serted somewhat obliquely in a pretty deep cavity, surrounded 
by protuberances ; the eye is likewise placed in a depression, 
whose border is rendered uneven by projections — in general 
the circumference of the fruit is not perfectly round ; the skin 
is a very light green, faintly approaching yellow at full matu- 
rity, and interspersed by some small russet specks ; the flesh 
is somewhat firm, bland, and agreeable, without being very 
high flavoured, and the fruit ripens in November and De- 
cember. 

It is remarked in the New Duhamel, that this pear is of late 
origin, and not having been previously named by any cultiva- 
tor, the editors dedicated it to M. Bessa as a testimony of satis- 
faction for the assiduity evinced by him in the completion of 
the designs of that w^ork. 

ANGLETERRE D'HIVER. Roz. Duh. Pr. cat. 

This pear, well known around Paris by the French title 
above, must, if its origin is correctly indicated by its name, 
be doubtless synonymous with some one of the English pears 
known to us by a different appellation. 

In the New Duhamel it is described as being of a very re- 
gular pyramidal form, with the head rounded, and measuring 
three inches and six or eight lines in height, and thirty-one to 
thirty-two lines in its greatest diameter ; the stem, which is 
fifteen lines in length, is situated even with the fruit, and the 



PEARS. 



121 



eye is inserted in a broad cavity, slightly excavated ; the skin, 
which is at first light green, becomes of a lemon colour at full 
maturity, the part exposed to the sun's influence sometimes ac- 
quires a faint red tint, — it is likewise wholly scattered over 
with small russet specks ; the flesh is firm, dry or without much 
juice, possessing a very slight acidity of flavour, scarcely 
musky, and in general not very agreeable, but when cooked it 
is far better ; the seeds are very oblong, dark brown, and often 
abortive ; the centre around which their cells are placed is hol- 
low ; the fruit does not ripen before the month of April, and 
keeps until in July without getting soft, but becomes much 
wrinkled. 

The pear described in the first edition of Duhamel by the 
same name, appears to difler from this in several quite distinct 
traits, and especially in the quality of its flesh; for in that pub- 
lication it is stated to ripen in December, January, and Febru- 
ary, to be very buttery, without astringency, quite bland and 
agreeable, and to become mealy when the period of its per- 
fection is past, and soon gets soft. Touching other points to 
be considered, the pear first described has no other affinities 
with the Common English pear, or U Angleterre-ordinaire, 
which ripens in September, than a slight resemblance in its 
form, and it may be perceived by the descriptions that in other 
respects these two fruits are evidently distinct from each other. 

SARASIN. Pr. cat. Roz. Duh. 
Sarrazin. 

This pear is oblong, with but little regularity of form, 
somewhat contracted next the head, where the eye is situated 
even with the fruit ; it is thirty lines in height, and twenty-two 
in diameter ; the stem is large, and six to ten lines in length ; 
the skin, on the shaded side, is at first green, but becomes pale 
yellow at maturity — the side next the sun is tinged with brown- 
ish red, and strewed with gray dots ; the flesh is almost melt- 
ing, of a sweet, rich, and partially perfumed flavour ; the seeds 

16 



122 



PEARS. 



are long, pointed, not well matured, and of a black hue ; this 
fruit is excellent to cook or to form compotes, and will keep 
from one year to the other. Duhamel himself states that in the 
month of November, when he made his description, there were 
still some remaining of the previous year that were in a very 
sound and perfect condition, and which could yet be kept a 
long time, and at the period named, they were very palatable. 
Duhamel adds, that there are few pears which so highly merit 
cultivation as this variety, 

AMBRETTE. Quin. Roz. Tourn. Duh. Mil. For. 

aA.mbretj Amhrette^ Winter AmbreU Evel. 
Trompe-valet, of some countries according to Quintinye. 
Cheat-servant, synonyme according to Evelyn. 
Amhrette d^kiver, '\ 
Amhrette avec epines, i 

Amhrette d^Mver avec epincs, s of various collections, 
Amhrette grise, v 
Thorny Amhrette, j 

The first notice I have found of this fine pear is in the work§ 
of the celebrated De la Quintinye, published about the year 
1690. He enumerates three varieties of the Ambrette, viz. 

The Ambrette, ripe in November, December, and January, a very 
good pear. 

The Ambrette of Bourgeuil, or Graville, ripe the thirteenth of 

October, an indifferent pear. 
The thornless Ambrette, ripe in November, an indifferent pear. 

It is the first of these that is the subject of the present arti- 
cle, and strange as it may appear, the other two are not des- 
cribed by either Duhamel, Rozier, Miller, or Forsyth, or 
noticed in the Jardin Fruitier, or Bon Jardinier. This fine 
fruit is said to have derived its title from its musky odour, 
which has a strong affinity to that of the Sweet Sultan flower^ 
called in France Ambrette. 

In the description given by De la Quintinye, after first re- 



PEARS. 



123 



marking that the Ambret or Ambrette and the L' Echasserie 
bear considerable resemblance to each other, he proceeds to 
comment on the differences that exist between them. The 
Ambrette, he states, is in point of shape a little flatter, and its 
eye sunk in a cavity, whereas the L' Echasserie has its eye or 
crown quite jetting out ; their size is similar, and they resem- 
ble each other likewise in colour, though the former is cam- 
monly of a deeper and ruddier hue, and the latter lighter and 
yellower, more especially when it becomes fully ripe. They 
are also nearly alike in their stems, and ripen at the same pe- 
riod. They greatly assimilate in the delicious qualities of the 
fruit when at maturity, in which respect however the L' Es- 
chasserie partially surpasses the other. The flesh of the Am- 
brette is sometimes rather more of a greenish hue, its seeds 
blacker and in large cells, and its skin is usually a little more 
rough to the touch. 

The L' Echasserie is occasionally knobbed or warty, but 
it is the wood which presents the most striking distinction, that 
of the Ambrette being extremely thorny and prickly, precisely 
like the wild trees seen in the hedges, which is not the case 
with the other ; for although it shoots out some points, they 
are not however sufliciently sharp to prick the fingers as those 
of the Ambrette will do. M. De la Quintinye further re- 
marks, that the L' Echasserie had not made its appearance 
above twenty years, but that the Ambrette was already of an- 
cient standing. 

I will now proceed to give the description of it according 
to Duhamel and Rozier. 

The shoots of the Ambrette tree are short, straight, and 
perfectly round, of a light grayish green hue where shaded, 
and a gridelin colour next the sun ; the buds are large, round- 
ed, very acute, turned off from the branch, the base that sup- 
ports them projecting but slightly ; the leaves are of medium 
size, not indented, but furrowed or wrinkled ; the flower con- 
sists of oval petals, hollowed in the manner of a spoon, and 
the summits of the stamens are light purple mingled with 
white ; tlie fruit is two inches in diameter, and twenty-five lines 



124 



PEARS, 



in height ; its form is rounded, and inclining to oval, dimi- 
nishing a little towards the stem, which is large, nine lines in 
length, and inserted in a very small cavity, whose circumfer- 
ence is swollen by some small protuberances ; the head is very 
round, and the eye is placed in a slight depression surrounded 
by some small projections ; the skin is whitish, and sometimes 
grayish, according to the soils ; the flesh is greenish white, 
inciting, and of a sweet, rich, and very pleasant flavour ; the 
seeds are black and contained in broad cells, and the fruit be- 
gins to ripen in November, but keeps well till in February ; 
the branches are thorny, and the tree may be propagated on 
the pear, but better on the quince. It delights in a dry warm 
soil, with a good exposition, and succeeds better as a standard 
than as a dwarf ; in wet and cold soils the fruit is far inferior 
to that produced in more favourable situations. 



ECHASSERY. Pr. cat. Mil. N. Duh. 



L'echasserie. Coxe. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Ambrette. Coxe. Fes. Amer. Gard. and many Amer. gardens, 
Bezy de Chassery. Duh. syn. Mil. syn. 
Eschassery. For. 

Leschasserie, } q^^^ Evel Mil 

Verte longue d^hyver, ) W^um. ve . i. 
Besidery, Sandry. Quin. Evel. 
Echasserie, or Bezi de Chasseri. Roz. 
Winter green long. Evel. 
Winter long green. Mil. syn. 
Wilding of Echassery» 
Yat or Yut pear. 

Besidery Landry, i j^^. syn. 
Landry wilding, ^ 
Tilton, of New-Jersey. 



The shoots of this tree are very slender, bending at every 
joint, very much speckled (tiqiietej, gray on one side, and of 
a greenish gray on the other ; the buds moderately large, 
longish, pointed, turned off from the branch, and have a small 
and very slightly projecting base ; the leaves are long, narrow, 
si^mewhat wrinkled or furrowed, indented very partially, but 



PEARS. 



125 



coarsely ; the Hower is formed of oblong petals, each some- 
what hollowed or spoon-shaped, and terminating in a plicate 
or plaited point; the fruit is round, approaching to oval, and 
diminishes in size towards the stalk, considerably resembling 
the Ambrette ; it is generally two inches in diameter, and 
twenty-nine lines in height, but sometimes it measures no more 
in one direction than in the other ; the stem is large, eight to 
fifteen lines long, inserted in a small cavity, which is commonly 
surrounded with some small protuberances ; the part next the 
head is perfectly round, and the eye is there placed even with 
the fruit ; the skin is a whitish green, but becomes of a yel- 
lowish hue at maturity ; the flesh is melting, of a sweet, musky, 
and very agreeable flavour ; the seeds are brown, and the fruit 
ripens in November, December, and January ; the tree may 
be ingrafted upon either the pear or the quince ; it is produc- 
tive and soon begins to bear fruit. 

I have examined the subject very minutely, and have ascer- 
tained decidedly that this is the Ambrette pear of Coxe's work, 
a fruit of great excellence and held in the highest estimation. 
The only difierence he speaks of is in regard to the indenture 
of the leaf, and on this point I find he fell into an error in his 
description, for all the trees that I have seen or heard of, that 
have, been obtained from New- Jersey as the Ambrette or Tilton 
pear, have indented leaves, and this fact, with the circumstance 
of their being devoid of sharp thorns, settles the question of 
identity satisfactorily. 



BESI DE CAISSOY. Pk. cat. N. Duh. 

Bezy de Caissoy. Roz. O. Duh. Mil. For. Coxe. 

Besi de Caissoy. Q,uin. Evel. Mil. 

Bezy de Quessoy. Jard. fruit. 

Rousset d'Anjou. Quin. Evel. 

Roussette d^Anjou. Roz. syn. Duh. syn. Mil. syn. 

Rouselet d^Anjou. 

Wilding of Cassoy, "i 

Petite beurre d^hiver, > Mil. syn. and others. 
Small winter hutter pear, y 



This pear is round and partially flattened at the head, being 



126 



PEARS; 



only seventeen lines in height, by nineteen in diameter ; the 
eye is small and very slightly sunk ; the stem is straight, six 
lines in length, and inserted in a cavity which is deep and 
broad in proportion to the size of the fruit ; the skin is green, 
changing to yellow at full maturity, but it is so much covered 
with brown spots that one distinguishes but little of the ground 
colour ; the flesh is melting, sweet, and perfumed ; the seeds 
are black, small, and frequently abortive, and the fruit ripens 
in November. The tree cannot be propagated successfully 
on the quince, and even upon the pear stock it is quite delicate 
and not very vigorous in light soils ; it requires to be planted 
in a fresh and rather strong soil. When the earth is of a 
character that suits it in all respects, it yields abundance ot 
fruit, which is produced in clusters. 

This variety takes its name of Besi de Caissoy or Wilding 
of Caissoy, from a forest of Brittany, where it was discovered, 
and where it passes under the title of Roussette d'Anjou. 

DUTCHESS OF ANGOULEME. Pom. mag. Pb. cat. 
Dutchesse (VAngouUme^ of most publications. 

This fine fruit, introduced some years since to our country 
from Holland, France, and England, is recorded to have been 
discovered growing in a wild state in a hedge near Antwerp. 
Its form and appearance are very much that of a Bonchretien. 
The Pomological Magazine gives the following details in re- 
gard to it. 

" This is the very finest of the late autumn pears, and ripens 
at the end of November. It is remarkable, not only for its 
excellence, but also for its irregular knobby surface, covered 
with broad patches of brown, by which it is readily known. 
It arrives at a weight quite unusual in pears that are fit for the 
dessert — specimens from the island of Jersey having been seen 
weighing twenty-two ounces ; and in 1827, a fruit ripened in 
the garden of the London Horticultural Society weighing 



PEAKS. 



127 



nineteen ounces. The form of the fruit is roundish-oblong, 
tapering towards the stalk, with an extremely uneven surface, 
usually measuring about three and a half inches each way, but 
sometimes much larger ; stalk and eye deeply sunk ; skin dull 
yellow, copiously and irregularly spotted with broad russet 
patches; flesh rich, melting, very juicy, and high-flavoured, 
with a most agreeable perfume ; wood yellowish, covered with 
white spots ; leaves ovate, middle-sized ; the flowers open 
early, and their petals are oval or somewhat obovate." 

PRINCESS OF ORANGE. Pom. mag. Pr. cat. 
Princesse d^Orange, of most publications. 

The Pomological Magazine gives the following description 
of this variety. 

"It was raised in 1802 by the Compte de Coloma ; it is in 
perfection in October, and from the great beauty, as well as 
good quahty of its fruit, is strongly recommended to notice 
as a valuable autumn pear. From its not opening its blos- 
soms early, it is less exposed to spring frosts than many kinds. 

"The wood is reddish brown, with small round white spots; 
leaves ovate, rather sharply serrated ; stipules nearly as long 
as the petioles ; flowers white, rather below the middle size ; 
fruit roundish turbinate, about the size of a White Beurre ; 
stalk rather short, seated in a shallow cavity ; skin a bright 
reddish orange russet ; flesh yellowish white, sugary, and rich ; 
it is in some seasons perfectly melting, but occasionally is a 
little gritty." 

CAPIAUMONT. Pom. MAG. Pr. cat. 

Beurre de Capiaumont. 

Cassiomont. Fes. Amer. Gardener. 

Of this fruit I have trees at my establishment from four or 
five diflerent sources ; there appears to be among them two 



128 



PEARS. 



distinct varieties. The London Horticultural Society also 
received three erroneous varieties under this name. The ge- 
nuine one is that which is described in the Pomological Maga- 
zine as follows. 

" One of the best of the varieties raised in Flanders and 
stated to owe its origin to M. Capiaumont of Mons. A most 
delicious fruit, ripening in the middle of October, and keeping 
for a fortnight or more. It is of middle size, turbinate, regu- 
larly tapering into the stalk ; eye not at all sunken, but level 
with the surface of the extremity ; skin a fine clear cinnamon, 
fading into yellow in the shade, and acquiring a rich bright 
red in the sun ; flesh yellowish, melting, buttery, very rich and 
high flavoured; wood clear reddish brown, sprinkled with 
white spots ; leaves oblong, narrow, much folded, and recurv- 
ed, with very fine serratures ; stipules linear, and about the 
length of the petiole." 

BELLE ET BONNE. Pom. mag. 
Schone und Gute. Taschenbuch. 

This is described to be a harvest pear, ripe in September, 
magnificent, large, round, very good and productive, and the 
Pomological Magazine remarks that it answers this description 
perfectly, with the addition, that much as the autumn pears 
have been improved, this ranks among the very best of them. 
It is deemed a delicious Bergamot variety, possessing the very 
best qualities. It has in some cases been erroneously culti- 
vated in Europe, and possibly in this country, under the names 
of Charles d'Autriche, Bergamotte Crasane, and Belle de 
Bruxelles, by which latter title it is often called in England. 

The wood is very vigorous, short jointed, dark olive co- 
lour, with numerous dark brown spots ; leaves deep green, 
nearly entire, oval-lanceolate ; stipules subulate, about half 
the length of the petiole ; flowers middle-sized, petals obovate ; 
fruit very large, globular, depressed, with a large deeply 
sunken eye ; stalk long, deeply inserted ; skin yellowish on the 



PEAKS. 129 

sunny side, with numerous small russet brown spots ; flesh 
white, sweet, perfumed, exceedingly rich and agreeable. 

CHIO. Mil. For. 

Little Bastard Musk, Mil. For. 

This pear Miller describes as being much like the Little Musk, 
but smaller, and the fruit not often hanging in clusters ; the 
skin, when the fruit is ripe, has a few streaks of red next the 
sun. I think this a very dubious variety. Forsyth only co^ 
pies Miller. 



ASHTON TOWN. Hook. pom. lond. Pk. cat. 

This pear has some similarity to the Swan's-egg, but tapers 
more towards the stalk, and is somewhat flattened at the other 
end ; the colour is greenish yellow, spotted with russet, and it 
has a few large spots of dark brown when fully ripe ; the flesh 
is melting, perfumed, and high flavoured, but sometimes a little 
gritty ; it ripens in November, but will not keep long. 



FLOWERED AUTUMN MUSCAT. Knoop pom. For, 

Muscat a long queue d^automne, ^ jyr^j 
Long stalked muscat of the autumn, 5 
Muscat Jleuri, Mil. erroneously. 

This is described by European authors as an excellent pear, 
of a medium size, round, and of a dark red colour ; the flesh 
very tender, and of a delicate flavour ; it ripens in October. 
Miller confuses this with the true Muscat-fleuri of the French, 
which ripens in August, and I should not wonder if this des= 
cription refers to the Muscat-RoyaL 

17 



m 



PEAKS. 



UVEDALE'S ST. GERMAIN. Pr. cat. Mil. For. 

Union. Mil. For. 

This is a very large long pear, of a deep green colour, 
sometimes becoming red next the smi as it approaches matu- 
rity. It is not suitable for eating, but is a good baking pear, 
and the tree being a great bearer, the fruit very large, and in 
season for use from December to April, it merits to be in every 
collection. 

FORELLE. Pr. cat. Pom. mag. 

Forellen-hirne. Diel, PomoL Christ. 
Poire Truite, of the French, 
Ti'out pear. 

Dr. Diel makes the following remarks in regard to this peai'. 

" Long as I have collected fruits and searched the gardens 
in the neighbourhood of the Rhine for French varieties, I have 
found none like the Forellen-birne. We may therefore proudly 
call this a national fruit, which most probably originated in 
Northern Saxony. It is a real addition to our stock of au- 
tumn pears, and may compete with the best French dessert 
kinds, ripening at the same period, and far surpassing them in 
the length of its keeping in perfection, and in its beauty." 

The Pomological Magazine in referring to these remarks 
says, that this variety merits the eulogium in all respects, it 
being a most beautiful fruit, and its quality equal to its ap- 
pearance. It has obtained its titles of Forelle, Truite, or 
Trout pear fi-om a fancied resemblance between the specks 
and colour of its skin and those of the fish so called. 

In England its period of ripening is stated to be from No- 
vember to January ; it never shrivels, but remains quite melt- 
ing and firm, until its period of decay arrives ; the tree is very 
vigorous, and grows upright ; the leaves are small, nearly flat, 
with the apex a little recurved, and slightly woolly above ; 



PEARS. 



131 



those OD the fruit spurs are larger than the others ; fruit rather 
below the middle size, not very constant in form, but usually 
obovate, and more or less elongated ; eye rather shallow ; skin 
when fresh gathered, green on one side and red on the other, 
changing to a deep rich sanguine hue, speckled with grayish 
ocellate, broad spots next the sun, and a clear lemon on the 
other side ; flesh white, juicy, buttery, with a rich aromatic, 
subacid, vinous flavour. 

MARIE LOUISE. Pr. cat. Pom.3iag. 

This variety was reared from seed by Dr. Van Mons, of 
Brussels, and having been introduced some years since to this 
country, has now become very considerably disseminated. 
, The Pomological Magazine remarks, that in England the 
high opinion that was entertained on its first reception in re- 
gard to its good qualities, has been amply confirmed by expe- 
rience, and that it has been found one of the most valuable 
autumn pears, resisting the inclemencies of a severe climate, 
and appearing capable of affording a certain crop under what- 
ever circumstances it may be placed. In flavour and beauty 
it has scarcely a superior, and in unfavourable seasons and 
situations, when other pears failed to acquire their accustomed 
flavour, this has been found to attain it fully as well as its 
usual size and colour. 

The Magazine referred to further remarks, that there can be 
scarcely any doubt but that the pear mentioned in Loudon's 
Magazine, vol. iii. p. 353, under the name of the Forme de 
Marie Louise is the same as this ; the appearance of the fruit 
from standards and walls being so difierent, as to justify any 
person unacquainted with the habits of the variety, in con- 
sidering them distinct. 

It ought to be in every collection, however limited or select ; 
it ripens in the middle of October, and keeps till the end of 
November ; the shoots are moderately strong, rather dark co- 
loured, with dull brown spots ; the leaves which are about the 
middle of the young shoots, are ovate, somewhat acuminate. 



132 



PEARS, 



the margin being sharply pointed but not with deep serratures ; 
the petioles of these are about an inch in length ; the leaves 
near the base of the shoots, and particularly at the spurs, have 
very long slender petioles, so that they have a very straggling 
appearance, twisting and facing to various directions; the 
leaves are there flat, elliptical, with the margin entire ; the 
flowers are middle-size with obovate petals ; fruit varying from 
medium to large according to circumstances, oblong, tapering 
from the middle towards both ends, the lower of which is ob- 
tuse and the upper oblique, with a permanent projecting calyx ; 
stalk more than an inch long ; skin in the most favourable 
situations and circumstances nearly smooth, with a little cin- 
namon coloured russet upon a light yellowish green ground, 
but it has much more russet and brown in other cases ; flesh 
white, exceedingly juicy, melting, buttery, and rich. There 
js said to have been an erroneous variety sent to this country 
from Europe under this name. 



WINTER NELIS. Pom. mag. Pr. cat. 

Nelis d^hyver, of many Flemish and English gardens. 
La bonne Malinoise, ) /. - . 
Bonne de Mcdmes, I of various publications. 

The Pomological Magazine describes this as follows : 
An excellent winter pear, in perfection in December and 
January, originally raised by M. Nelis, of Mecklin, in honour 
of whom it was named, but before its title was settled it had 
acquired the other appellations above stated. 

" It bears pretty well ; the fruit is of very high quality, and 
is expected to become a favourite of the dessert ; by some it 
is deemed superior to the Chaumontelle, which is a high charac- 
ter ; the wood is moderately strong, yellowish, sprinkled with 
some small pale brown dots ; leaves middle-sized, elliptical- 
ovate, tapering regularly to each end, somewhat recurved on 
the midrib, the margins nearly entire ; petiole long and slender ; 
Stipules linear ; flowers middle-sized, petals obovate, tapering 



PEARS. 133 

to the claw ; fruit middle-sized, or rather large, obovate, some- 
what obtuse at the stalk, which is upwards of an inch long, 
and moderately thick ; eye generally open, but sometimes par- 
tially closed by the collapsing segments of the calyx ; skin 
yellowish, sometimes nearly covered with russet brown ; flesh 
yellowish, melting, buttery, juicy, very rich, and high fla= 
voured." 

FLEMISH BEAUTY. Pom. mag. Pr. cat. 

La helle deFlandres, 
Imperatrice de la France, 
Fojidante de bois, 
Bouche noo.velle. 
Brilliant, 

This variety has only been recently introduced to our coun- 
try, and in consequence is but partially disseminated. It is 
one of the best pears in point of quality, and bears abun- 
dantly ; its size and appearance are much in its favour, and it 
is expected to become an important appendage to the list of 
esteemed fruits. The Pomological Magazine describes it thus : 

" It is a large-sized, greenish russet, handsome kind, ripen- 
ing in October, and keeping for a month or two ; it has the 
remarkable property of improving more if gathered before it 
is quite ripe, than if fully mature when taken from the tree. 
In the latter case it is apt to acquire a kind of anise scent 
which is not agreeable ; in the former, it becomes perfectly 
melting and rich, without any such flavour. The wood is 
spreading, moderately strong, reddish brown, with numerous 
reddish spots ; leaves middle-sized, ovate, tapering to the point, 
slightly serrated ; petioles rather long and slender ; stipules 
linear ; flowers middle-sized and early ; fruit large, obovate, 
obtuse at the stalk, which is nearly an inch long, and mode- 
rately thick ; eye open, and placed in a slight depression ; skin 
russet, tinged with a crimson red next the sun, the shaded side 
greenish yellow ; flesh rather firm, yellowish white, sweet, rich, 
melting, and excellent. It must be gathered while it adheres 



Lond. Hort. cat. and other 
publications. 



134 



FEARS. 



yet firmly to the tree — this is the only way to have it really in 
perfection, for if suffered to ripen fully on the tree, it is a poor 
variety. It decays externally before it gives way at the core." 

MUSCAT ROYE. Calvel. Die. d'Agric. 

This is a small fruit, of oblong form ; the skin rough to the 
touch, of a yellowish green on the shaded side, and of a plea- 
sant red next the sun ; the flesh is breaking and perfumed ; the 
tree is vigorous, and the fruit is at maturity at the end of 
August. 

TROMPE CASSAIRE. Die. d'Agric. 

According to an account of M. Lardier, this variety is cul- 
tivated in the environs of Aix. It is an early fruit, of medium 
size, round and green, with a long stem ; the flesh delicate, 
with rather pleasant juice when it is not too ripe, and the tree 
bears abundantly. 

SUMMER FRANCREAL. Pom. mag. 

Francreul WeU. Dial's Pom. Lend. Hort. cat. 

Fondante- Knoop Pomol. 

Gros Micet d^ete, of some French gardens. 

This pear is figured in the Pomological Magazine, and des- 
cribed as follows : 

" A valuable variety, destitute of the hardness of the Bon- 
chretien, and of the muskiness of many French pears of its 
season. It is a very hardy, healthy, free growing tree, and a 
great bearer, ripening its fruit in the middle of September. 

" Wood greenish-yellow, brown, sprinkled with a few pale- 
brown spots ; leaves large, ovate, somewhat cordate, acumi- 
nate, almost entire at the margin, when young very woolly ; 
petioles upwards of an inch long, rather slender ; stipules 



PEARS. 



135 



long, linear ; flowers small, petals roundish, with a long claw i 
fruit rather large, turbinate, thickest about two-thirds from the 
stalk, diminishing a little to the eye, which is moderately de- 
pressed and partly opened ; stalk short and thick ; skin green, 
nearly smooth, becoming pale yellowish green after the fruit 
has been gathered some time and is fit for use ; flesh white, 
firm, juicy, becoming buttery and melting, rich and excellent," 
This pear is stated to be particularly useful in England, where 
they have none of high quality to succeed the Epargne, which 
they call Jargonelle. 

PRESENT DE MALINES. Pr. cat. Lond. hort, cat. 
Gift from Malines, 

This fruit was raised from seed by the late Count Coloma, 
of Malines, in Flanders, and was presented by him to the late 
John Braddick, Esq. one of the most efficient members of the 
London Horticultural Society, who from the circumstances as 
related above, gave it the title adopted. The fruit is said to 
be much of the Bonchretien shape, large at one end, smooth, 
and of a beautiful yellow colour ; the quality excellent, the 
flesh being melting and of a rich musky flavour. 

BEURRE SPENCE. Pr. cat. Van Mons. Lond. hort. cat. 

The celebrated Mr. Braddick stated, in one of his public 
communications, that having asked M. Van Mons, the cele- 
brated pomologist, to which of all his new pears he gave the 
preference, he immediately replied, the " Beurrt Spence," 
and added, this fruit to my taste is inestimable, and has no 
competitor." Mr. B. proceeds to say, that when his trees 
bore fruit he sent specimens to the London Horticultural Soci- 
ety, and that M. Turner, the under secretary, pronounced it 
the very best of all the new Flemish pears, and in this prefer- 
ence of Professor Van Mons and M. Turner, Mr B. coin- 



136 



PEARS. 



cides. The time of ripening is from the middle of October 
to the middle of November. The first trees of this kind 
brought to our country were imported by myself. I have ex- 
tended its culture very considerably, and have sent a number 
to different parts of the union. 

PINE APPLE PEAR. Pr. cat. 

Poire Ananas. Lond. Hort. cat. 
Ananas. 

This variety Mr. Braddick states to be nearly allied in ap- 
pearance and flavour to the Present de Malines and Passe 
Colmar, and some of the pears which he sent to Mr. Loudon 
were declared by him to be excellent. They were tasted on 
the first of March, and Mr. B. says that he had kept them 
back as long as he could. This may consequently be deemed 
a very valuable winter pear. He also makes the following 
remarks as to keeping pears well — " They should be pre- 
served in an equal dry temperature, under the fermenting 
point; whence they should be brought out just at the time of 
using them. Acting upon this experience, I have prepared a 
fruit room thirty-two feet under the surface of the earth, in 
the dry solid rock." It is now six or seven years since I im- 
ported the first tree of this kind from Flanders, from which a 
great number have since been increased. 

I also received it a second time from Mr. Braddick in Feb- 
ruary, 1828, together with eleven others of his most choice 
varieties of pears, twenty very select varieties of apples, and 
six of strawberries. Indeed, the death of that friendly and 
excellent man, may be most justly deplored as a public loss. 
He communicated to me many circumstances respecting his 
fondness for the culture of fruits, which perhaps I may refer to 
hereafter, as being both amusing and instructive. 



PEARS. 



137 



WILLIAMS' BONCHRETIEN. Pk.cat. Lond.hok.tran. Foe. 

Barilett, ^ _. , . ^ of the Bostonians. 
bummer bt. Michael, ^ 

This pear, which has been called by Mr. Alton, (in his 
Epitome of the Hortus Kewensis) Williams' Bon Chretien 
appears to have sprung from seed, in the garden of Mr. 
Wheeler, a schoolmaster at Aldermaston in Berkshire, about 
tvvent^^-five years ago, and was suffered to remain, in order to 
prove the value of its fruit. Subsequently grafts have been ex- 
tensively dispersed, and many trees been propagated in Mr. Wil- 
liams' nursery near London, where it obtained its adopted title. 

The trees of this variety are of vigorous growth and fertile 
habit ; their branches remarkably erect and straight, until bent 
by the weight of fruit ; leaves brogid, deep green, very sharply 
serrated ; fruit of an irregular pyramidal and somewhat trun- 
cated form, large, being from three to four and a half inches 
in length, and two to three inches in width at the widest part 
near the head ; the eye is inserted on the summit, and never 
sunk in a hollow cavity, as in the other varieties called Bon- 
chretiens ; the stalk is very gross or fleshy, about three-fourths 
of an inch in length ; the colour of the fruit is pale green, 
spotted over with a mixture of darker green and russet brown, 
becoming yellowish, and faintly tinged with red on the side 
next the sun when fully ripe ; the flesh is whitish, very tender and 
delicate, abounding with juice, which is sweet, and agreeably 
perfumed ; ripens in August when trained to a west wall, but 
on standard trees it is from three weeks to a month later. 

This pear is deemed by many superior to any of its season. 
It immediately succeeds the Epargne or English Jargonelle, 
and is earlier than, as well as much superior to the Doyenne 
or White Beurre, and resembles in flavour the Summer Musk 
Bonchretien. Its merits over the latter variety are, that on 
standard trees, as well as when trained, it seldom fails to pro- 
duce fruit in abundance. 

It has been held in great esteem in the environs of Boston 

18 



138 



PEARS. 



for many years, and very extensively cultivated there and else- 
where under the title of Bartlett pear. It obtained that name 
from the circumstance that the oldest or original tree in that 
vicinity stands on the property of a gentleman of that name, 
the real title not being then known ; and it is to the intelli- 
gence and discrimination of Robert Manning, Esq. of Salem, 
one of the most eminent and accurate pomologists of the age, 
that the public are indebted for an investigation and full eluci- 
dation of the facts. In the " Short Treatise on Horticulture,'* 
published by me, I erroneously stated this to be a native pear, 
having been so advised by the gentleman at Boston from whom 
I received the first tree. 

SKINLESS. Pr.cat. Mil. For. Coxe? 

Pmresanspeau, > j^^^^ j^^^^ j^j^^^ 

Fleur de GmgneSj ^ 

Flower of Guigne. 

Rousselet hatif, } ^ 

Early Rousdlet \ erroneously. 

This pear is in size about medium, being twenty- eight or 
twenty-nine lines in height, by twenty or twenty-one in its 
widest diameter, which is commonly about midway of the fruit; 
the stem is rather slender, and sixteen or seventeen lines in 
length, and rises out of a small cavity, in a somewhat lateral 
direction ; the skin is very thin, pale green where shaded, and 
marked with some reddish spots on the sunny side ; the flesh is 
partially melting, of a sweet and somewhat perfumed flavour; 
the seeds are brown, and the fruit ripens the first part of Au- 
gust. It is variable in its form, which is generally long and 
"sometimes shorter and broader. 

Miller makes the remark that it is called by some the Rous- 
selet hatif or Early Rousselet, and Forsyth and Rozier also 
mention its resemblance to that variety; but Duhamel and 
Rozier make the difierence between them, in their general size 
and form, to be considerable, this being the largest of the two. 

The pear, called Skinless in Boston and its vicinity, has 
already been referred to under the head of Long stalked Blan- 



PEARS. 



159 



quet, but a very discriminating pomologist of that vicinity 
doubts its identity with that variety. The whole confusion in 
regard to that pear and the Early Rousselet, the Skinless and 
Rousselet de Rheims, has arisen from the adoption of the 
title of Catharine — some pears being called Early Catharine, 
another the Green, and a third the Late Catharine, when cor- 
rectly speaking, we have no such fruit as a Catharine pear ; 
these being merely local titles applied to old established fruits 
of other names, and not even mentioned by Duhamel, Rozier, 
Miller, or Forsyth, and it is to be regretted that Mr. Coxe 
should have adopted them in his work in two cases as leading 
dtles, although he no doubt did it with the best intentions. 

SECKEL. Pr.cat. 

SecJcle, Coxe. Lend. Hort. Trans. Pom. Mag. Fes. Amer. 
Gardener, and other publications. 

This incomparable little pear, which is now becoming so 
widely disseminated in our country and abroad, originated on 
the farm of Mr. Seckel, about four miles from Philadelphia. 
It is at least equal in flavour to any European pear I have met 
with, and by far the highest flavoured one that has originated 
in this country. It is melting, and its taste is that of a rich 
spicy concentration. The fruit is of a brownish russet colour, 
with a red cheek next the sun, but in some situations it is 
of a yellowish hue, and occasionally without any touch of red, 
and it usually grows in clusters of from two to seven in each. 
I have noticed, that much of its fine spicy flavour is contained 
in the skin, and in eating this should not be taken ofl^*. It 
grows more slowly than any other pear tree I am acquainted 
with ; and in fact, at maturity, forms a tree of only moderate 
size, but peculiarly compact and regular in its form, with rich- 
ness of foliage, and a general flourishing appearance. Al- 
though this pear has been figured in the Transactions of the 
London Horticultural Society, and both European and Ame- 
rican gentlemen conversant on the subject have stated, that 
no fruit similar to it existed in Europe, still there is a pear 



140 



PEARS. 



which has been long cultivated in France and England, and 
almost every other country in Europe, so extremely similar to 
it, that I venture to assert, that beyond all doubt, it is the pa- 
rent of the Seckel, The pear to which I refer is the " Rous- 
selet de Rheims, or Petit Rousselet," called also in Europe 

the Musk, or Spice Pear.^^ The growth of the respective 
trees is similar, and the fruit so much alike, that persons have 
mistaken them for each other. The difference consists in the 
part of the fruit next the stem being more pointed in one than 
the other, and in the spicy flavour of the Seckel being much 
higher than that of the Rousselet de Rheims. The colour 
and size are much the same. 

The form of the Seckel pear is regular, rounded at the head, 
and gradually diminishing towards the stem, which is large, of 
about an inch in length, and inserted in a slight depression ; 
the shoots are strong, but only of moderate annual extension ; 
the bark is a ruddy brown dotted over with specks of a paler 
shade of the same colour, and with others of a whitish hue ; 
the flowers are of small size, and at the period of expansion 
are of a roseate colour, and principally produced in clusters at 
the extremity of the shoots. 

It is much to be regretted that this fruit is not of larger size, 
it being among our smallest pears. It ripens from the latter 
part of August to the beginning of October, and by being 
gathered and placed carefully in a fruit room, will mature gra- 
dually, and furnish a regular supply for the table during the 
period named. 

The London PomologicalMag. when speaking of this vari- 
ety, says, it is found to exceed in excellence of flavour the very 
richest of their autumn pears, possessing a high vinous aroma, 
which can scarcely be compared with any thing in fruits, unless 
with a concentration of the taste peculiar to the Swan's egg pear. 

LEWIS. Pr. cat. Down. 

The descriptions of this and the four succeeding varieties 
are from the pen of Samuel Downer, Esq. of Boston. 



PEARS. 



141 



This fine American seedling pear has more than met our 
expectations ; its fine qualities will make it more generally 
known than heretofore ; the original tree, and the two suckers 
transplanted from it, have given full and constant crops the 
last ten years. I will here allude to the great necessity of 
allowing our late fall and winter pears to remain on the trees 
as long as possible, even at the risk of high winds and hard 
frost, (there is no danger from a little frost) their flavour im- 
proves very much the last ten or fifteen days they hang on the 
tree, and it prevents their shrivelling afterwards. The Lewis 
pear hangs on the tree very strong to the last. They have 
readily sold in our market, during winter, at eight dollars per 
bushel. 

This pear is in size a little under medium, and will compare 
with the Crasanne in appearance more than any other pear ; it 
is not so flat, but more pear-shaped ; has a stem one and a 
quarter inches in length, set in a little cavity, the blossom end 
indented with a large open eye ; the flower leaves lie flat back 
on the head ; the skin of those growing on the outside of the tree 
isyellowish green, and of those growing on the inside dark green 
with cloudy spots ; flesh whitish and fine grained, melting, 
buttery, and juicy, not so high flavoured as many pears, but 
very pleasant, and calculated to become a favourite eating fruit 
with people generally. 

It is sought after by market-men, and sells for six snd seven 
dollars per bushel ; it is a great and constant bearer, (bearing 
profusely to a fault) and its being a native, and a seedling of 
recent origin, render it valuable ; the tree being also acclimat- 
ed, it is not subject to so many accidents, as many of our deli- 
cate foreign trees. By having it grow in cultivated ground, 
you may be sure of a great crop ; the tree is vigorous, and 
makes good sized and sound wood ; the branches are long, 
and hang weeping, like our common willow ; it begins to be 
in eating by the middle of November, and some years has con- 
tinued till the last of January, and in a dry cool situation 
would probably keep much longer. Being but recently intro- 
duced to notice, the trees in the nurseries are yet of small size. 



142 



PEARS. 



DIX PEAR. Ps. CAT. Down. 

Madam Dix's mansion house is situated at the south part of 
Boston, where she has resided for more than thirty years ; 
contiguous to the house is a fine spacious garden, containing 
many large fruit trees, among which are a St. Germain, and a 
Bonchretien pear, both large and near together, which may 
be the parents of this seedling pear, which came up fifteen 
years since, near the wood-house. Its close resemblance in 
appearance to the St. Germain, gives the strongest reason to 
suppose that one of its parents. The seedling pear tree is twen- 
ty-three feet high, and ten inches in diameter four feet from 
the ground. With the exception of some of the lower limbs 
having been taken off last season, it has never been pruned, 
and has always remained where it sprang up. The top is so 
thick with branches and cross limbs, being full of thorns that 
the head cannot be entered without difficulty. The branches 
grow out at first horizontally, then after bending down a little, 
turn up at the end. It makes rather small wood ; leaves small 
and finely serrated, not folded like the St. Germain, but flat, 
with long stems, colour light green, with a gloss. The tree 
has been in bearing three or four years, and when it is pro- 
perly pruned, the size of the fruit will probably be increased, 
and the quality improved. The soil is rich, and its situation a 
very good one. 

Size over medium, and may rank with large pears ; the spe- 
cimen, of which a drawing was made for the Massachusetts 
Horticultural Society, measured four and a half inches in height, 
and eight round ; skin rough, and rather thick, the fruit re- 
sembling the St. Germain, but longer and larger — those grow- 
ing inside of the tree are green, but those on the outside, 
exposed to the sun, have a fine blush, turning yellow when 
mature ; stem not exceeding three quarters of an inch in 
length, not large, and set on the top of the fruit ; blossom end 
a little indented, with a peculiar eye, appearing as if drawn up 
with a string, and puckered or plaited round it, and a little 



PEARS. 



143 



knobby at the head. This very fine pear compares very nearly 
to the St. Germain in appearance, but has a higher flavour. 
It comes in eating sooner than the above named pear, being in 
perfection from the middle to the last of October. It bids 
fair to be one of our very best autumn pears, and valuable for 
its recent origin, and its claims as a native. It may with the 
greatest justice be introduced to our gardens and nurseries. 

From what we have seen of this variety, we think it will be 
one of our handsomest and very best pears, and will be largely 
cultivated in gardens generally. 

GORE'S HEATHCOT. Pr. cat. 

This fine seedling did not, the last season, bear as well as 
usual ; but the fruit was very excellent. This variety will be 
a good substitute for the St. Michael's, or White Doyenne. 
This comparison is recommendation enough for it. 

CLAP. Pe. cat. Down. 

This fruit is in point of size rather under medium ; colour 
yellowish green, with a little brownish blush on the sunny side; 
stem long and bending over, set on the top, with a little rising 
round the bottom of the stem ; eye or blossom end a little in- 
dented, and of common size; flesh whitish, buttery, and juicy, 
it has a high aromatic flavour, and is a little musky, resembhng 
very much the old sort of Boston Catharine, or ^'Kattern" in 
taste, but is a little more sprightly ; form being however one 
quarter larger ; the fruit more free from blast or black spots, 
and the brown not of so deep a shade. The tree grows vigo- 
rously, branches upright, leaves dark green, rather broad and 
flat, and finely serrated ; colour of the wood brownish, with 
long thorns ; the leaves turn yellow and commence falhng as 
the fruit ripens, and in a short time the tree becomes nearly 
bare of foliage. There is no doubt of this tree being a seed- 
ling ; and I should judge from its resemblance, that the Ca- 
tharine above alluded to, was one of its parents. It came up 



144 



TEAKS. 



by chance near the house, and has never been moved. It is 
sixteen years old, thirty feet high, and seven inches in diame- 
ter; has borne constantly for the last four or five seasons 
pretty full, considering its vigorous growth. I should think 
this summer pear, on account of its good qualities and recent 
origin, worthy of recommending to the public. It is in eating 
by the middle of August, being a little sooner than the old 
kind. 

This variety was raised from seed by Capt. William Clap, 
of Massachusetts. 

GUSHING. Pr.cat. Down. 

This superior wilding pear originated on the farm of CoL 
Washington Gushing, of Massachusetts, where it was recently 
discovered and brought to notice. It is expected to hold a 
high rank among our native varieties. There is little doubt 
but it will improve in quality, and increase in size from one- 
quarter to one-third, when cultivated in our gardens or 
ploughed fields, as has been the case with the Harvard pear. 
I can also add the opinion of a gentleman, respecting this va- 
riety, whose judgment on fruits is considered first rate, and who 
declared on tasting it, that it was superior to the Bartlett, 
Harvard, Andrews, Moorfowl, or Swan's egg. 

The fruit is a little under medium size ; colour light green, 
with a little brownish blush on the sunny side, and a smooth 
and shining skin ; it is formed like the Harvard pear, but fuller 
near the stem, which is three-quarters of an inch long, placed 
on one side of the top in a little cavity, with a rise on the 
other ; the blossom end is a little indented ; the flesh whitish, 
melting, buttery, and full of delicious juice, tasting like the 
Andrews pear, but has more flavour and sprightliness. It is 
in eating the middle of September. It may be recommended 
with the greatest confidence to the public as one of our finest 
varieties, and the tree is a great and constant bearer. 



PEARS. i45 

HARVARD. Pr.cat. 

Boston Epargne, or VEpargne. 
VEpergne. 

Sugar pear, of Cambridge, Mass. 

This fruit is generally fair, possesses a fine flavour, and is 
valued as one of our best native fruits. It received its name 
in commemoration of the founder of Harvard University, it 
being satisfactorily established that it is a wilding of Cam- 
bridge, Mass. 

The branches grow upright, have thorns on them, and are 
remarkable for the yellowness of their bark during the winter 
and other periods when vegetation is dormant. The fruit 
ripens about the first of September ; it is above the medium 
size, weighing five to six ounces, and hi'ghly esteemed ; some 
even rank it second only among our native fruits to the Seckel. 
It is a constant and full bearer when the tree has age ; its ra- 
pid growth preventing its bearing for four or five years, which 
is a good peculiarity. Its excellent qualities make it deserving 
of a recommendation to nurseries and the public, as a very 
superior pear. It may be added, that it is in favour with the 
market-men, selling at four to five dollars per bushel. 

GUERNSEY. Pr.cat. 

Stevens^ Genessee. 

This very fine pear is of the melting kind, larger than the 
White Doyenne, and ripens in September. It should be ga- 
thered as soon as the stem will separate by a clean fracture, 
and ripened in the house, and must be eaten as soon as it be- 
comes yellow and mellow, as it will not keep. It is said to be 
more juicy, and much more delicious than the White Doyenne, 
and in one case a fruit measured eleven inches in circumfe- 
rence. The tree was raised from seed in the western part of 
this state, and the grafts were politely transmitted to me by J. 
K. Guernsey, Esq. of Monroe county, from respect to whom I 
called it by the title here adopted. 

19 



146 



PEARS, 



JOHONNOT. Pe. cat. 

This native variety received its title from its having been ori- 
ginated by G. S. Johonnot, Esq. of Massachusetts. That 
gentleman states, that its first fruit was produced in 1823 ; the 
stem is much shorter and thicker than is common with pears, 
and there is often a small protuberance on the fruit near the 
point of its insertion, similar to that on some Pearmain apples ; 
the skin is nearly as thin as that of a peach, and of a dull yel- 
lowish brown hue. This pear is of medium size, and of a 
peculiar and irregular form ; the period of maturity is the last 
week in September. 

PRINCE'S ST. GERMAIN. Ps. oat. Lond. hort. cat. 

This pear is a seedling of the French St. Germain or In- 
connue-la-Fare, impregnated by the White Doyenne, and was 
originated from seed by myself about twenty-six years since; 
the original tree, which remained for several years among a 
cluster of seedlings without much chance for expansion, did 
not produce fruit till the ninth year. It is now in the most vigo- 
rous state, and stands near the entrance of one of my nurseries. 
Young trees to the number of many thousands have been pro- 
pagated from it, and are now to be found in every part of Eu- 
rope, as well as of our own country. The growth denotes 
health and vigour, and the tree comes early into bearing. The 
young wood is of a dark reddish brown colour, marked with 
small specks of white ; the buds are large and sharp pointed ; the 
fruit is on the average of a larger size than either of its parents, of 
a russet green colour, with a red cheek ; its flavour is similar to 
that of the French St. Germain, but it has the advantage of 
always being a perfectly fair fruit, and a great bearer. The 
pears should be gathered in October and laid separately on 
shelves, or carefully wrapped in paper, when they will gradu- 
ally ripen during several months, and may be preserved until 
late in the winter. Next to the Seckel, I consider this as the 
finest table pear our country has yet produced. 



PEARS. 



147 



RUSHMORE'S BONCHRETIEN. Pr. cat. 

Harrison^ s large fall pear. Coxe. 

Large Swanks egg. 

Richmond. 

Autumn Bonchretien of some gardens. 
Mogul summer ? Lottos pear. 

This is a native pear of very large size, and one of the 
greatest bearers. It is flat at the head, and very regularly 
rounded for nearly two-thirds of its length, but diminished to- 
wards the stem, which is long and large ; the growth of the 
tree is particularly strong and rapid, and it soon arrives at ma- 
ture bearing ; the fruit when ripe is a pale yellow colour, with 
a red cheek ; it is breaking when ripened on the tree, but be- 
comes buttery when matured in the house, and is considered 
but a tolerable table fruit, the flesh being coarse ; but this 
taken in connexion with its being a most excellent pear for bak- 
ing and cooking, and ripe at a season when few other pears 
are so, and producing very abundantly, it may be considered 
as one of the most useful pears in a general view ; it ripens in 
succession, from the end of August to the end of September, 
and may be preserved without rotting a considerable time, and 
when full ripe, can be used for baking without sugar. 

It is very much cultivated on Long Island, and particularly 
by those who supply the markets with fruit, it being well suited 
for that purpose. 

LONG ROSE WATER. Auth. 

I adopt the above title for a pear received about eight years 
ago, from Paris, under the name of Caillot rosat, and I think 
it may possibly prove to be the German variety so called, and 
mentioned in the Pomological Magazine as a long fruit. The 
tree is remarkably vigorous in its growth, and its form is verv 
regular and handsome. It last year produced fruit of a deli- 
cious quality ; the pear was nearly as long as the Epargne, 
ttot so brge at the base, and diminishing towards the stem ; its 
colour was green when gathered in October, but it acquired a 



148 



PEAKS. 



yellow hue when at maturity, which was in November or De- 
cember. The flesh was very rich, juicy, and high flavoured ; 
and although I had but one fruit, and did not therefore test its 
value as a keeping pear, I was highly gratified with it, and I 
deem it one of the very best of its season. I have as yet seen 
no description whereby to fully identify it ; but the appearance 
of the tree is so characteristic, that it cannot readily be mis- 
taken for any other, and it must without doubt be known to 
some of the numerous writers on the subject* 

SUMMER MELTING. Pr. cat. 

Fondante d'ett. 

This is a tree of the most vigorous growth and flourishing- 
appearance, shooting erect into a stately form ; the fruit is of fair 
size, ripens early in August, and it has by some been considered 
the best pear of its season. After it comes into bearing, it in- 
creases annually in fertility and the quantity of its produce, 
but it attains considerable size before it produces freely. 

I received the original tree of this variety in 1802, from a 
person then resident in Baltimore, who was very curious in 
fruits, and who had a number of French varieties of pears. It 
was on a quince stock and soon bore fruit, which was larger, 
handsomer, and more melting than any I have since had on 
pear stocks. 

HED CHEEK. Pr. cat. 

English red cheek. Pr. Hort. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

This pear is cultivated at Rhode Island under the name 
given above as a synonyme, whence it was brought to Long 
Island. It is a bell-shaped fruit, of a beautiful yellow colour, 
with a red cheek ; it is not quite as large as the St. Michael 
or Virgalieu, — is considered a very good fruit when not over 
ripe, and the tree bears well ; it ripens at the latter part of 
Augfust, 



PEARS. 



149 



A tree imported from France, but whose name is unknown, 
has produced fruit precisely like the foregoing, and it is there- 
fore most probable that the variety is of French origin. 

POUND. Pr. cat. Coxe. Fes. amer. gard. 
Cordelier, or Large Cordelier, of English authors. 

Next to the White Doyenne pear, the present variety is the 
most common in this vicinity, it being of so great size and 
subserving such useful purposes, that all desire to possess it. * 
It is the largest of all the older class of pears, and there are 
but three or four of those more recently introduced that can 
compare with it in this respect. It often weighs from twenty- 
five to thirty ounces, and one was exhibited in New Jersey, 
about four years since, weighing forty and a half ounces. It 
is of uniform shape, full and round at the head, and diminish- 
ing gradually to the stalk, which is large and long ; the skin 
is of a greenish hue, with a brownish russet cheek next the 
sun ; the flesh is solid, and when cooked acquires a red colour. 
This fruit is not suitable for the table, but is esteemed for bak- 
ing and preserving. It will keep till late in the spring, and 
may be used from time to time as required for the above pur- 
poses. It is preferable to allow the pears to hang on the trees 
until late, when after gathering they should be packed away 
in chaff, or wrapped in paper, whi( h by excluding the atmos- 
phere, keeps them from drying and preserves their freshness, 
consequently rendering them more juicy and tender, and when 
so treated they become towards spring of a yellow colour, and 
the russet cheek acquires a fine tinge of red. 

The tree grows exceedingly strong even from its first ad- 
vance, and its progress is very rapid, perhaps none more so, 
forming one of the largest of its class, and being also exceed- 
ingly hardy, and subject to no maladies or defects. Large 
quantities of the fruit are put up in this vicinity in barrels for 
the markets of New- York and for exportation. 



150 



PEARS. 



SWAN'S EGG. Pr. cat. For. Coxe. 
Poire d^AucJt, of some gardens. 

This fruit is of medium size, and the form elliptical ; the 
skin is green, slightly tinged with brown or russet ; the flesh 
quite melting, and abounding with juice of an agreeable musky 
flavour. Its period of maturity is November, and it may with 
attention be preserved for some time. 

Miller does not describe this pear, and Forsyth, after quot- 
ing the Poire d'ceuf, or Egg pear of Duhamel, copies about 
half of the description of that variety, and adds thereto some 
further remarks of little import, and varies the time of ripen- 
ing. In truth, however, these fruits would appear to be very 
distinct, and Duhamel states the time of ripening of the Egg 
pear to be the end of August or beginning of September. 

ANGLETERRE DE NOISETTE.. Pr. cat. 

Grosse Angleterre de Noisette, Bon Jard. 

This is a recent seminal production, said to have been raised 
by the person whose name is attached to it, and to be a vari- 
ety of the Angleterre of a larger size and later at maturity. 

BEAUTY OF BRUSSELS. Pr. cat. 

Belle de Bruxelles. Duh. Calvel. Die. d'Agric. 
Belle d^aout. Bon Jard. ? 

This fruit has the form of aBeurre; the skin which is previous- 
ly green, becomes yellowish at the period of maturity, which is 
during the month of October ; the flesh is white, delicate, and 
of agreeable flavour, and the tree is of thrifty growth. The 
Diet, d' Agriculture gives a very similar description, but the 
Bon Jardinier describes it as a superb fruit of good quality, 
and ripening in August. 



PEARS. 



15i 



GOLDEN COLMAR. Pe. cat. 
Colmar dore. Lond. Hort. cat. Bon Jard. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

The French describe this variety as being more oblong than 
the old Colmar ; the flesh melting and very good, and the fruit 
at maturity in March. 

BLACK SEEDED BEURRE. Pr. cat. 

Beurre noire graine. Lond. Hort. cat. 
Noir grain. Bon Jard. 
Black seeded, Pr. cat. '25 ed, 

European writers state that this fruit is of medium size, and 
that it is very highly esteemed in Flanders ; the tree is ex- 
ceedingly productive, and the fruit is at maturity in September, 
I imported this pear some years since ; but its value being little 
known, it has been as yet but partially disseminated through 
our country. 

SIEULLE. BonJaed. Pr.cat. 

Doyenne d'hyver ? 

This new pear was raised at PrasHn, at the seat of the Duke 
of Choiseul, by a person whose name it bears. Its first intro- 
duction to notice was in 1815. The fruit is of medium size, 
resembling the Crasanne in form, but more swollen towards 
the base ; the stem is long, and inserted in a cavity surround- 
ed by several small lobes ; the eye is slightly depressed ; skin 
delicate, of a lemon colour, partially washed with red next the 
sun ; flesh half-melting, the juice sweet, rich, profuse, and 
agreeable ; the fruit ripens in October and November, and the 
tree is handsome, vigorous, and productive, and may be pro- 
pagated on both pear and quince stocks. This very fine va- 
riety is cultivated at the nursery establishment of the author 



152 



PEARS. 



EPARGNE. Pr. cat. Duh. Roz. Die. d'agric. Jard. fruit. 
Bon Jard. For. Coxe. 

Jargonelle. Pom. Mag. Lond. Hort. cat., and of most English 

gardens, erroneously. 
Espargne, or Saint Sanson. Quin. 
Espargne. Reserve pear, or St. Sanson. Evel. 
Lady^s thigh, 

Grosse Cuisse madame, i 

Beau present. Roz. syn. f of the French authors and 

S«mi Samson. Roz. syn. C catalogues. 

Savnt Lambert, y 

Poire des tables des Princes, 

Real Jargonelle. Fes. Amer. Gard. 

This pear, which is extensively cultivated in this vicinity and 
in various sections ofthe union, is most generally known by the 
titles of Jargonelle, Cuisse madarae, and Lady's thigh, it hav- 
ing been received from England under the name of Jargonelle, 
and from France under those of Epargne, Cuisse madame, 
and Grosse Cuisse madame. As I can perceive no good rea- 
son why we should adopt the blunders of the English, even if 
they have received countenance from being copied into some 
of their works deemed in other cases to be authority, and as 
both Miller and Forsyth reject the error referred to, it is to be 
regretted that a publication having so many claims to superi- 
ority as the Pomological Magazine should have continued it ; 
for although long usage may be sometimes allowed to form an 
apology for adopting a title erroneous in its origin, such course 
can only be admitted when it may be done without confusion ; 
but in the present case there is a genuine Jai'gonelle, so called 
by all the French authors since the middle of the 17th centurj^ 
and supposed to be one of the most ancient varieties in culti- 
vation ; and the only means of preventing confusion is to cor- 
rect the error at once. 

The following description is from Duhamel, an author cele- 
brated for his great accuracy, and accords with my own 
observations. 

This fruit is of very oblong form, being three to three 



PEARS. 



153 



and a half inches in height, and twenty-two to twenty-four 
lines in diameter at its largest part, which is at about two- 
thirds its length, measuring from the base; the eye is placed 
in a slight cavity, which is surrounded by several projections ; 
the stem is two inches in length, or thereabouts, and the fruit 
has often some prominences or swellings at its insertion ; the 
skin is greenish and somewhat marbled with fawn-colour min- 
gled with red next to the sun ; the flesh is white, and melting, 
with a slight acidity of flavour, which is rich and very agree- 
able ; the seeds are black, and frequently abortive. This pear 
is one of the most beautiful and one of the best that is to be 
met with at the period of its maturity, which is at the end of 
July to the tenth of August. The tree is vigorous, and may 
be propagated on both the pear and quince." 

I also add the following description from the Pomological 
Magazine. 

"Tree of a straggling, creeping habit; wood yellowish 
green in the shade, reddish when exposed ; leaves rather large, 
woolly when young, ovate, acuminate, finely and doubly ser- 
rated ; petioles on the young shoots about an inch long ; sti- 
pules linear ; flowers early, very large ; fruit large, oblong, 
with a long stalk, generally a little bent ; eye open, with long 
projecting segments of the calyx ; skin greenish yellow on the 
shaded side, with a tinge of brownish red when exposed ; flesh 
yellowish white, very juicy and melting, with a peculiarly rich 
agreeable flavour ; round the core it is rather gritty, and more 
so if grafted on the quince ; it is the queen of autumn pears, 
and unequalled in flavour by any of its season." 

In the orchards in the vicinity of New-York, w^e have no 
pear tree whose growth is more strong and vigorous than this, 
and its crops are exceedingly abundant. It is deemed b} those 
who supply the markets with fruit, to be one of the kinds best 
calculated for that purpose, and such appears to be its charac- 
ter wherever cultivated ; and from its being one of the oldest 
pears, it forms a sorrowful comment on the principle of ex- 
haustion of the variety by age. In Fessenden's American 

20 



154 PEARS, 

Gardener, it is stated to be a great and constant bearer, and 
to come in between the smaller fruits of the garden, such as 
the strawberry and raspberry, and the peach. It is also very 
justly remarked in that work, that the fruit generally seen in 
market is a caricature of that raised by the cultivator for his 
own use, it being in the former case gathered unripe and arti- 
ficially ripened, by being spread in great masses. 

It is a singular circumstance that Miller does not refer at all 
to the Epargne pear, although he evidently had the same fruit 
in view when describing his " Cuisse Madame or Lady's thigh, in 
England, commonly called Jargonelle but he quotes Tourn, 
and Duhamel erroneously when applying their titles to his 
description. The whole chain of error and transposition 
seems to have arisen from its not being understood by Miller 
that the Epargne of the French was the Jargonelle of the 
English, 



JARGONELLE. Quin. Evel. Duh. Roz. Die. d'Agric. 
Jard, fruit. Bon jard. For. 

Summer Jargonelle. Evel. 

Jargonelle, ailed Cuisse Madame in England, Mil. 
Cuisse madame, of many English and American collections. 
French Jargonelle. 

Much difficulty has arisen from an erroneous title being ap- 
plied, in England, to this fruit, under which it has been, in 
many cases, sent to this country. It will be seen by the au- 
thors quoted above, that it has been regularly known and des- 
cribed by the name adopted since the middle of the 17th cen- 
tury, and its origin is traced much farther back by some writers. 
The remarks on that head, at page 108 of the Pomological 
Magazine, although applied to the preceding variety, refer 
without doubt to the present fruit. It is there remarked, that 
the name of the Jargonelle pear is derived, according to Me- 
nage and Duchat, from Jargon, anciently Gergon, in Italian 
GergOf in Spanish GericoTK^a^ all corruptions of Grcecum ; 



FEARS. 



155 



whence Merlet infers that the Jargonelle was the Pyrum Ta- 
rentimm of Cato and Columella, the Numidianum Grmcum 
of Pliny, and the Graeculum of Macrobius. If this conjecture 
be well founded, the kind to which the name belongs will be 
one of th€ most ancient in cultivation. 

This fruit has great affinity to the Aurate, but is rather 
larger, more oblong, and pyriform ; it is twenty-two lines in 
height, and eighteen in diameter ; the skin is perfectly yellow 
on the shade side, and a beautiful red next the sun ; the flesh 
is delicate, white, half-breaking, and of slight musky flavour; 
the seeds are small and blackish brown, and the fruit ripens at 
the beginning of September. The French writers do not 
deem it very worthy of culture, and indeed it is so very infe- 
rior to the preceding, and rots so soon at the core, that its 
beauty may be considered its principal recommendation. The 
growth of the tree is not as vigorous as the preceding kind ; 
but the young shoots have the same propensity to curve and 
bend over, which renders the young trees irregular and ill- 
formed in their appearance. 

WINDSOR. Pr. cat. Mil. For. Lang. pom. Knoop. pom. 

Cuisse Madame. Quin. Evel. Duh. Roz., and all French 

writers and catalogues, and also of Forsyth and Coxe. 
Lady thigh, Evel. 

This pear is oblong, its height being thirty lines, and its 
diameter twenty-two ; the eye is small, inserted nearly even 
with the base of the fruit ; the stem, which is about fifteen lines 
in length, is somewhat furrowed at the extremity which unites 
it to the fruit ; the skin is delicate, shining, yellowish green on 
the shaded side, and brownish red next the sun ; the flesh is 
half-melting, and rather buttery, somewhat coarse, abounding 
in sweet juice which has a partially musk flavour ; the fruit 
ripens at the end of July ; the tree grows very vigorously when 
grafted on the pear, but does not do so well on the quince. 



156 



PEARS. 



This is deemed to be a fruit of only secondary quality. It 
soon turns soft, and in a few days after maturity becomes 
mealy. Many persons cultivate it for market, but of how 
much greater advantage would it be to themselves and the 
public, if they would reject inferior fruits and cultivate only 
the choicest for that purpose, which would command a very 
enhanced price, and thereby amply repay them. 

Forsyth describes this under two heads, the Windsor, and 
Cuisse Madame. The French writers state that the stem of 
the fruit is not strongly attached to the tree, and that in conse- 
quence the least wind blows it off, and Coxe adopts these and 
- other remarks, which shows he had reference to the same fruit, 
and indeed he appears to have generally been guided by Ro- 
zier in his descriptions of pears. 

VANDERVEER. Pr. cat. 

This is a native, originated from seed by Dr. Adrian Van- 
derveer, of this island, to whose politeness I am indebted for 
it, and in commemoration of which I have attached to it the 
above title. The size is about that of a medium White Do- 
yenne, from the seed of which it originated; the skin is 
yellow with a tinge of russet ; the flesh melting and buttery, 
and the fruit is at maturity in September ; the tree grows rapid- 
ly, is a great bearer, and sheds its foliage at an early period. 



157 



APRICOTS. 



MASCULINE. Pr. CAT. Mil. Foe. 

Early Masculine^ of some catalogues. 

Abricot er hatif, N. Duh. 

Abricot precoce, > q J)\x\i Roz 

Abricot hdtif musquee, ) ' * 

Abricotin, commonly in France. 

Red Masculine, of the English ? 

The fruit of this tree is small and almost round ; it is fifteen 
to seventeen lines in its greatest diameter, is hollowed on one 
of its sides by a longitudinal groove, extending from the base 
to the summit, which although shallow is very apparent ; the 
skin is a fine yellow on the shaded side, and tinged with red 
on that exposed to the sun ; the flesh i^ light yellow, partially 
perfumed, easily separates from the stone, the kernel of which 
is bitter. In the climate of Paris it is at maturity the begin- 
ning of July, which is the sole advantage it possesses, for most 
of the other kinds are superior to it in quality. It may be 
propagated from the stone, as well as by the other modes of 
inoculating, &;c. In this vicinity its period of maturity is 
the middle of July. Forsyth says this variety is chiefly es- 
teemed in England for its tart taste. In the English catalogues 
they enumerate a brown variety of the Masculine. 



WHITE MASCULINE Pk. cat. Lond. hoet. cat. Foe. 

Abricotier blanc. N. Duh. | Abricot P^che. N. Duh. 

In the New Duhamel it is remarked, that this variety has 
been improperly called Abricot- Peche. In size it much re- 



158 



APRICOTS. 



sembles the preceding ; the skin is a waxen white, slightly 
tinged with red next the sun, and covered with a thicker down 
than other varieties ; the flesh is a very pale yellow, and even 
white on the side which has been shaded, not very high fla- 
voured, but better and more delicate than that of the preced- 
ing one ; partially adhering to the stone, which has a bitter 
kernel. The tree generally produces a great deal of fruit, 
which is at maturity the middle of July. It is the combined 
advantages of precocity and abundant product that cause this 
variety to be generally cultivated. 

PEACH APRICOT. Pr. cat. Foe. Coxe. 

Abricotier P^che. N. Duh. Lend. Hort. cat. 
Abricot de Nancy. O. Duh. Roz. 
Ahricot de Piemont, or Piedmont. 
Abricot de Wurtemberg. 
Abricot de Nuremberg. 

The Peach Apricot which the New Duhamel states is inap- 
propriately termed Abricot de Nancy, it further mentions as be- 
ing the largest and the best of all that were then known at Paris, 
often measuring more than two inches in diameter ; the skin is 
a fawn-yellow, somewhat marked with red next the sun ; its 
flesh is likewise of a peculiar yellow hue, approaching a fawn- 
colour, of excellent taste, melting, full of very sweet and 
highly perfumed juice ; the stone is oval, compressed, equally 
convex on both sides, and is thirteen to fourteen lines in length, 
and ten to eleven in breadth, and contains a bitter kernel ; the 
fruit begins ripening in the early part of August, and it con- 
tinues to mature by degrees during the residue of the month. 

This variety is originally from Piedmont, whence it was first 
transmitted to Provence and Languedoc ; and although it is not 
at most forty years since it was carried from Pezenas to Paris, 
it is there cultivated in preference to the Abricot commun or 
Roman Apricot in most of the gardens and nurseries around 
the metropolis, where it will perhaps cause the culture of some 
other varieties to be discontinued whose fruits are inferior to 



APRICOTS. 



159 



this. It forms a tree of more vigour and of larger size than 
the Roman variety. In France it is much cultivated in the 
espalier form, but it grows equally well cultivated as a 
standard, and in the latter case the quality of the fruit is 
improved, and it acquires a delicious taste. The tree is some- 
times so very productive, that unless the fruit is thinned out, it 
will not attain its proper size. 

MONSTROUS PEACH APRICOT. Pr. cat. 

Largest Peach. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 
Piche d tres gros fruit, 

A number of varieties have been obtained in France from 
seeds of the preceding one, among which the most noted is the 
present sort, which has there received the French title quoted 
above, as a synonyme, on account of its exceeding its parent 
in size. The growth of the tree is remarkably strong, and 
the fruit is one of the most esteemed, but does not materially 
vary in its colour from the variety before described. I im- 
ported it from the South of France, with a number of others of 
great excellence. Like the preceding, it requires that the fruit 
should be thinned out when the tree is too much loaded with it. 

ALBERGE. Pr. cat. O. Duh. Roz. 

Abricot Albergier. N. Duh. | Albergier ordinaire. 

The leaves of this tree differ somewhat from those of others, 
because they have usually at their base and upon their petiole 
two small appendages or ears. The fruit is rather compressed 
and of small size, measuring about fifteen lines in its greatest 
diameter ; the skin is a greenish yellow on the shaded side, 
and a dark yellow with some touches of brownish red next the 
sun ; the flesh is yellow, approaching to red, partially melting, 
of a vinous and very rich taste ; the stone is more compressed 
than those of other varieties, and the kernel is bitter ; the fruif 



160 



APRICOT&. 



is at maturity about the middle of August ; it is much supe- 
rior when produced on standards to that produced on espaliers, 
and in consequence is seldom cultivated in France after the 
latter mode. In the environs of Tours, where this variety is 
very extensively disseminated, they propagate it from the stone, 
which is found to answer instead of propagating by inoculat- 
ing, Sic. Excellent preserves are made in many parts of 
France with this fruit, and there are also two other esteemed 
varieties of it, called Albergier de Montgamet, and Albergier 
de Tours. 



TURKEY. Pr. cat. Mil. For. Lond. hoet. cat. 

Large Turkey, of some nurseries. 

Abricot de Nancy. O. Duh. vol. i. p. 144. tab. 6. 

It will be perceived by the synonyme last quoted, which I 
extract from the Pomological Magazine, that the Turkey Apri- 
cot is therein deemed to be the same as the one I have already 
described under the title of Peach Apricot. Without doubt- 
ing that such may be the fact, I copy the details and descrip- 
tion there given, in order to elicit investigation. 

" An excellent apricot, scarcely known in the gardens of 
this country, (England) but in good quality little inferior to 
the Moorpark, from which it is to be certainly distinguished 
by its figure being round, not compressed ; its skin much more 
transparent, and less deeply stained with red ; its stone with- 
out an open passage through it ; and especially by its kernel 
being sweet like an almond, not bitter. 

" About London it ripens on a south wall in the middle of 
August; on an east or west wall it would, of course, arrive at 
perfection rather later. No gardens in which apricots are va- 
lued should be without this. 

" Duhamel says that it is sometimes called the Abricot 
Peche, but we believe all the trees in this country, (England) 
known by that name, are the Moorpark. 

Wood strong, short-jointed, rather warfed at the lower 



APRICOTS. 



161 



end of the yearling branches ; buds not particularly promi- 
nent ; leaves middle-sized dark green, rather evenly serrated, 
slightly concave, roundish, accuminate ; flowers of the ordinary 
size and appearance ; fruit about the middle size, very hand- 
some deep yellow, with a number of rich brownish orange-red 
spots and blotches next the sun- — in form nearly spherical, not 
compressed like the Moorpark ; flesh pale yellow, firm, juicy, 
sweet, with a little acid, very rich and excellent ; stone sepa- 
rating freely; in figure like that of the Moorpark, but without 
the hole of that variety ; kernel quite sweet, like that of an 
almond." 

MOORPARK. Pk. CAT. Fok. 

Anson's. j Dimmore^s Breda. 

Dunmore's. | Templets. 

Abricot p^cke, of many English collections. 

This variety, so far as my experience goes, diflers from the 
Peach apricot in its growth and foliage, although the two fruits 
exceedingly resemble each other. It is of large size, of a fine 
bright yellow or orange colour, mottled or spotted with red 
next the sun ; the flesh is also of a bright orange hue, rich, 
juicy, and excellent — in fact, this fruit is one of the most es- 
teemed ; it ripens at the end of July or early in August, and 
the stone is remarkable for having a passage or hole in the side 
through which a needle may be easily passed. 

BLOTCHED LEAVED. Pr. cat. For. 

Blotched leaved Turkey. Lond. Hort. cat. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Gold blotched. 

Variegated Turkey. 

Striped Turkey. 

Abricot macule, ^ 

Abricot d feuilles panaches, > of the French. 

Abricot de Messine, } 

The fruit of this apricot c-oes not difler essentially from the 
Roman, of which it is a variety ; its leaves however are pecu- 
liarly variegated, most of them having near the centre a large 
yellowish spot, presenting a very singular appearance, by which 
the tree may be readily distinguished from all the other kind?. 

21 



162 



APRICOTS. 



ALEXANDRIAN. Pe. cat, 

Abricotier dAIemndrie. N. Duh. Lond. Hort. cat. 

This variety is of medium size, of a greenish yellow colour 
on the shaded side, and a bright red next the sun ; the flesh is 
yellowish white,veined with red, and very sweet. It is particularly 
esteemed in the south of France, where the heat of the climate 
imparts to it an excellent taste, but is not much cultivated at 
Paris, because it blossoms too early, and would consequently 
be very much exposed to the frosts from which the first part of 
the spring is there seldom exempt. I have cultivated this va- 
riety for a number of years, and found it to succeed well here 
and in other localities near New-York. 

PORTUGAL. Pr. cat. 

Abricotde Portugal. Duh. Roz. Lond. Hort. cat. 
Abricot male. 

This does not form so large a tree as the common varieties, 
the fruit is also one of the smallest of its class, being seldom 
more than fourteen lines in diameter ; its skin is a light yel- 
low, marked only on the side next the sun with some spots, 
part of which are red and the others of a brownish hue ; the 
flesh is also but partially coloured, delicate, melting, high fla- 
voured, and slightly adhering to the stone, which is almost 
smooth, and contains a bitter kernel. This fruit is at maturity 
about the middle of August. 

ROYAL. Pr. cat. Pom. mag. 

Abricot Royal. Bon Jard. Nois. man. Lond. Hort. cat. 

This excellent variety, recently introduced to our country, 
is thus described in the Pomological Magazine. 

The authors of the Bon Jardinier, in which work this 
first appeared in 1826 ^pronounce the present variety to be even 



APRICOTS. 



163 



superior to the Moorpark, their Abricot Peche, and with some 
justice. It ripens from a week to ten days before that kind, 
possesses all its good qualities, and is less subject to be imper- 
fectly matured on one side. Its flesh when bruised becomes 
transparent. It may be readily distinguished from the Moor- 
park, not only by these characters, but also by the passage in 
the edge of its stone being scarcely pervious, by its form being 
less compressed, and by its not acquiring ihe size of the Moor- 
park. 

" Raised a few years since in the Royal Garden of the 
Luxembourg, whence a plant was sent to the London Horti- 
cultural Society, by M. Hervy, the director. 

" Wood strong, rather longer jointed than the Moorpark — 
when ripe, closely marked with pale transverse specks, ap- 
pearing through the openings of the epidermis ; leaves very- 
large, roundish-cordate or ovate, in some degree cucullate, 
generally auricled at the base, petiole with about six equidis- 
tant glands, a character, however, which is too variable to be 
of importance in apricots ; flowers of the ordinary size ; fruit 
next in size to the Moorpark, rather oval, slightly compressed, 
of a dull yellow, shghtly coloured with red on a small space ; 
suture shallow ; flesh pale orange, very firm, juicy, sweet, and 
high flavoured, with a slight degree of acidity ; stone large, 
oval, not adhering to the flesh, blunt at each end, with scarcely 
any passage on the edge ; kernel slightly bitter, much less so 
than the Moorpark." 



ORANGE. Pr. cat. Mil. Foe. Lond. hort. cat. 
Early Orange. 

This variety is of rather large size, but somewhat dry and 
insipid, except the exposition be a warm and favourable one, and 
on this account it is deemed more suitable for tarts and pre- 
serves than for the table, and no tarts are more exquisite than 
those made from the fruits of this class, which far surpass those 
made of green rhubarb, gooseberries, &£c. The colour is a 



164 



APRICOTS. 



deep yellow, touched with red next the sun when at perfect 
maturity, which is in the month of July. There is another 
fine variety called the Royal Orange apricot. 

BRUSSELS. Pr. cat. Mil. For. Lond. hort. cat. 

Although the fruit of this variety is inferior to those of the 
first class, still it is held in much esteem on account of pro- 
ducing abundantly both on standards and dwarfs. It is of 
medium size, greenish yellow on the shaded side, and tinged 
with red, with many dark spots on the side exposed to the sun ; 
it has a lively flavour, and is not subject to become dry and 
meally ; it ripens in August, being one of the later varieties. 

BREDA. Pe. cat. Mil. For. Lond. hort. cat. 

Although this is said by many to be the same as the Holland 
apricot, I think the fact is yet not satisfactorily ascertained ; 
and as the English claim to have brought this variety direct 
from Africa to England, there exists good reason to doubt the 
point of identity. This is of a large size, the form round, and 
the colour deep yellow ; the flesh is dehcate, rich, and juicy, 
particularly on standard trees. It is deemed an excellent fruit, 
and ripens towards the end of July or early in August, ac- 
cording to the locality and exposition. 

ALGIERS. Pr. cat. Mil. For. 
White Algiers. Lond. Hort. cat. 

This fruit is rather more oval in its form than the generality 
of its class, and is also somewhat flattened or compressed. 
It is of a light yellow colour, high flavour, and juicy, and 
ripens about the end of July or commencement of August, 



APRICOTS. 



165 



HOLLAND. Pr. cat. 

Ahricof de HoUa de. Duh, Roz. Lond. Hort. cat. 
Ahricotier Aveline. N. Duh. 
Amande Aveline. O. Duh. Roz. 

This is a small fruit, almost globular, and about fifteen lines 
in diameter ; the longitudinal groove which extends from the 
base to the summit is very apparent, although not deep, and 
its sides are generally uneven. The skin is a beautiful yellow 
on the shaded side, and a dark red on that which is exposed to 
the sun ; the flesh is a dark yellow, and of a rich and excel- 
lent flavour ; the stone is of a round-oval form, seven lines in 
length, and half that in thickness ; it encloses a kernel, which 
is not only free from bitterness, but on the contrary, is of very 
pleasant taste, resembling considerably that of a filbert or a 
sweet almond. This apricot is one of the best varieties ; the 
tree is very productive and seldom fails to bear well in the es- 
palier form. Duhamel states that it yields the most fruit 
wben propagated on the cherry plum, and that the fruit is 
larger in size but less in quantity when budded on the St. Ju- 
lien. It can also be increased from the seed without inoculat- 
ing, in which case the roots are as red as coral. 

ROMAN. Pr. cat. Po3i. mag. Mil. Laxg. pom. For. 
LoxD. hort. cat. 

Ahricot commun. O. Duh. and other French writers and catalogues. 
Die Gemeine Apricose. Christ. Tasch. 
Die giosse Gemeine Apricose. Mayer. 

This variety being very particularly described in the Pomo- 
logical Magazine, I extract the following therefrom. 

" The most common apricot that is cultivated, and with the 
exception perhaps of the Masculine, the worst. It is not, 
therefore, its merits that has gained it a place in this work : 
but the being an old variety, which has acquired a station it 
does not deserve, — its only good quality being its productive- 



166 



APRICOTS. 



iiess. In the gardens and nurseries it is continually confound- 
ed with other sorts, particularly with the Turkey and the Brus- 
sels, — two kinds superior in quality, especially the former, and 
both of which ripen some days later : the former is distin- 
guished by its finer, rounder, more highly coloured, firm and 
rich fruit, with a sweet kernel ; the latter by the deep colour 
of its skin, even on a wall, and its firm, juicy, subacid pulp. 
The French do not appear to distinguish the Brussels from the 
Roman, both of which are probably comprehended under their 
Abricot commun ; and it must be confessed that they are very 
similar. 

" The Blotched-leaved Turkey apricot of the nurseries, 
which is the Abricot macule of the French, is a variety of the 
Roman, differing only in having variegated leaves. 

" Bears abundantly on an east wall, where the fruit ripens 
in the beginning of August : as a standard, it acquires more 
colour and flavour. 

" Wood very smooth, rather short-jointed, reddish brown, 
when young not much speckled, but becoming conspicuously 
so when older ; buds prominent ; leaves large and broad, cor- 
date, irregularly crenated, between flat and concave ; petioles 
about an inch and a half long, brownish, with a few sessile, 
globose glands; flowers of the ordinary size and appearance; 
fruit middle-sized, dull straw-colour, with a little dotting on the 
sunny side of orange or red, but in such small quantity that 
the skin has always a pallid appearance ; in form slightly com- 
pressed, inclining to oval, with a shallow suture, through which 
the fruit can be readily, when ripe, separated into two halves 
by a slight pressure on each side of the base ; flesh dull pale 
straw-colour, soft, dry, mealy, with a little sweetness and aci- 
dity, but on the whole very insipid and indiflferent — it is only 
tolerable when rather unripe ; stone flat, oblong, rather obtuse 
at each end, with a very even surface, separating wholly from 
the flesh, except at the base — it is generally divided from the 
flesh by a little cavity when the fruit is fully ripe ; kernel very 
bitter." 

Although it appears from the above description that thi& 



APllICOTS. 167 

variety is not much valued in England, I have tasted some 
which were of very good quality, our hot sun probably caus- 
ing a more perfect maturity of the fruit. 

MUSCH-MUSCH. Pr.cat. Lond. hort. cat. 

Abricot Muscli. \ Gros MuscJu 

This highly esteemed variety was brought a few years since 
from the city of Musch, on the frontiers of Turkey, adjoining 
Persia. It is described by European authors to be round, of 
a deep yellow colour, remarkable for the transparency of its 
pulp, through which the stone is perceptible ; the flesh very 
delicate and pleasant ; the fruit ripens about the middle of 
July. The Bon Jardinier I perceive describes two varieties of it ; 
but as this practice is very prevalent in that work, the exist- 
ence of more than one is a matter of doubt. 

RED ANGOUMOIS. Pr, cat. 

Abricotier rouge ou Angoumois. N. Duh. 
Angoumois. O. Duh. Roz. Lond. Hort, cat, 
Abricot violet. Lux. cat. 

This variety does not form so large a tree as the Roman and 
most other varieties ; its leaves vary considerably from the usual 
form of the other kinds, being of greater length than breadth, 
nearly oval, and commonly attended with two small ears or 
appendages at their base ; the fruit is small, often oblong, and 
from fourteen to sixteen lines in its greatest diameter — the 
groove which extends from the base to the apex is not very ap- 
parent ; the skin is a reddish yellow where shaded, and a fine 
vinous red with some brownish specks next the sun ; the flesh 
is also yellow approaching to red, melting, and of a very rich 
and very pleasant vinous flavour, with a slight degree of aci- 
dity, and a strong and penetrating odour ; the stone does not 
adhere in the least to the flesh, its form is almost round, and it 
contains a sweet kernel, which has the taste of a fresh filbertt 



168 



APmCOTS. 



and even its skin has scarcely any bitterness. This variety 
ripens at Paris early in July and rather before the Roman ; 
the tree seems to flourish most in calcareous soils, and succeeds 
best in an open exposure and free atmosphere ; in the espalier 
form it does not do well and produces but little. This fine 
apricot is stated to be yet rare in the environs of Paris, but is 
common in the French provinces of Guienne, Anjou, Lyons, 
and Dauphiny, where it is preferred to the other kinds, which 
they deem too insipid. 



PROVENCE. Pr. cat. 
Ahricot de Provence. Duh. Roz. Lond. Hort. cat. 

This variety resembles the Angoumois ; it is tolerably pro- 
ductive, and succeeds as well in the espalier as in the stan- 
dard form ; its leaves are small, almost round, and terminated 
by a pretty broad point ; the fruit is small, slightly flattened, 
and fifteen to sixteen lines in its greatest diameter, and the 
groove, which is deeper than in other varieties, has one of its 
sides more projecting than the other ; the skin is yellow on the 
shaded side, and bright red next the sun ; the flesh is a very 
deep yellow, less melting than that of the Angoumois, but of 
a rich and very aromatic vinous flavour ; the stone is uneven, 
and contains a sweet kernel ; the fruit is at maturity in the 
Parisian climate, as well as in this vicinity, the end of July or 
beginning of August, according to the exposition. I imported 
this variety a few years since from a source I presume to be 
one of the most accurate, and I find the trees I have propa- 
gated to be remarkable for their vigorous and rapid growths 

APRICOT OF NOOR. Pr. cat. 
Abricotier de Noor. N. Duh. 

This new variety, which of late years only has been culti- 
vated in the Imperial Luxembourg nursery, is thus described 



APRICOTS. 



169 



by M . Hervy, late director of that establishment, in a commu- 
nication to the editors of the New Duhamel. 

This variety was obtained from the seed ; the fruit is of less 
size than the Peach apricot, and generally of oval form ; the 
stem is inserted within a round, broad, and rather deep cavity ; 
the groove at the side of the fruit, which extends its whole 
length, is very apparent, and continues so even at the period 
of perfect maturity ; the skin is aj^ellowish green, slightly co- 
loured, and covered with very fine down ; the flesh is light red, 
melting, and of a rich and agreeable flavour ; the stone is of 
medium size, swollen at its sides, and its two edges are very 
projecting ; the kernel, which it encloses like most others of its 
class, is of a bitter taste. This variety is deemed excellent for 
its flavour, and its period of maturity renders it still more in- 
teresting, as at Paris it scarcely attains to maturity until about 
the middle of September. It succeeds equally well both as a 
standard and as an espalier, 

HEMSKIRKE. Pom. mag. Pr. cat. Lond. hort. cat. 

In the Pomological Magazine the following details are 
given in regard to this fruit. 

*' The origin of this variety is not known. It was sold by 
the late Mr. Lee under the present name, but has hitherto es- 
caped public notice, of which its great good qualities render 
it far more deserving than many of those more commonly 
known. 

" It bears freely on an east wall, where it ripens thoroughlv 
by the end of July, acquiring a high luscious flavour, superior 
even to that of the Moorpark. From the Ro^^al apricot it 
diflers in having a more tender flesh and richer flavour, and 
also in the greater sweetness of its kernel. 

" Wood short-jointed, like that of the Moorpark, with en- 
larged projections under the buds ; leaves broad, deep green, 
very like those of the Moorpark ; flowers of the ordinary cha- 
racter. It may be here remarked, that apricots do not vary 
in their flowers, except the Masculines, in which they are 

22 



170 



APRICOTS, 



smaller than ordinary. Fruit middle-sized, roundisli, slightly 
compressed, very hke a small Moorpark, from which it is only 
distinguished externally by its size ; flesh very bright deep clear 
orange, more tender and juicy than the Moorpark, with a par- 
ticularly rich delicate flavour, resembling that of an excellent 
Green Gage plum ; stone much smaller than that of the Moor- 
park, without a pervious passage ; kernel nearly sweet," 



BLACK APRICOT. Pe. cat. 

Black fruited Apricot. 
Pope's Apricot, 

Ahricotier noir, ^ N D h 

Armeniaca atro-purpurea, ^ • " • 

Abricot violet, ) /• -r^ 

Abricot du Pape, [ " a"lo ueT''^''" 

Ahricotier afeuilles de Prunier, } ^ 

Armeniaca dasycarpa. Pars, synop. 

Prunus dasycarpa. Willd. Sp. Ehrh. Beitr. 

Plum leaved Apricot. 

Small black Apricot. Lond. Hort. cat. 

This tree is the strongest and most rapid in its growth of 
its class ; it does not however incline to grow so lofty as some 
others, but spreads its branches widely, and forms a large broad 
head like the common Cherry plum, and it may be considered 
a fruit intermediate between the plum and the apricot. Duha- 
mel states that its native country is not known, but that it is 
supposed to have originated in the east ; other writers remark 
that Siberia is its native country. Be this point as it may, it 
is a tree of most hardy character, and I think far more so than 
any other of its class. Duhamel mentions that the trunk is 
almost invariably crooked, but I have not found it particularly 
so ; the bark is peculiar, and of an ash-gray colour, with nu- 
merous cracks and crevices ; the leaves are oval, two inches 
in length, very finely indented, smooth, shining on the under 
side, and borne on petioles of about an inch long, which have 
two to four small glands; the flowers are usually white, 
about an inch in breadth, generally solitary and dispersed one 



APRICOTS. 



171 



by one at those points which formed the axils of the leaves the 
previous year ; the fruit is round, very slightly compressed, of 
moderate size, measuring from thirteen to fifteen lines in its 
greatest diameter, and supported on peduncles of four to five 
lines in length ; the skin is a violet red, very dark or blackish, 
on one side somewhat velvety, and is marked by a longitudi- 
nal line, which extends from the insertion of the peduncle to 
the summit of the fruit ; this line is only remarkable for its 
colour, but does not form a distinct groove ; the flesh is reddish, 
especially that part which is near the skin, the residue is yellow 
or a brownish-fawn colour and strongly adheres to the stone ; 
the flavour is sweet, not very rich, and is sometimes attend- 
ed with a small degree of bitterness or sharpness, similar to 
that of particular Damask plums ; the stone considerably re- 
sembles that of a plum, and is seven and a half to eight lines 
in length, and six and a half to seven in breadth, and termi- 
nates in an acute point ; the sides are compressed, and one is 
rather more convex than the other ; the period at which the 
fruit ripens is later than that of most other varieties, being 
usually the latter part of August, and sometimes the first of 
September. It is both pleasant and peculiar, but I have not 
found the tree to bear well, perhaps however it may in a diflfer- 
ent climate ; it has altogether a wild and uncultivated aspect, 
being the natural variety of a species distinct from other apri- 
cots, but we may expect similar improvements in the seminal 
varieties that will be produced from it, to those which have re- 
sulted from a like course with the other species : and it is sin- 
gular that experiments in this respect have not been already 
made, as it is by the varieties of this species that we may be 
enabled to extend the successful culture of the apricot much 
farther to the north, for it is my belief that this species will 
support the winters of Lower Canada. 



APRICOTS. 



PURPLE PEACH-LEAVED. Pr. cat. 

Black peach-leaved. 
Peach-leaved. 

Abricotier d feuilles de Pecher, } jp^j^ 
Armeniaca persiccBfolia, ^ 
Purple fruited. 

This is a variety of the preceding, and although the foliage 
is very different, the leaves of this being longer, narrower, and 
irregularly indented, still it is so closely allied in reality, that 
branches will often present themselves on the trees of this va- 
riety, bearing the foliage of the other, and by their great con- 
trast on the same tree, they form a striking singularity. Some- 
times the lower section of a branch will exhibit the broad 
foliage of the preceding one, and the upper section of it the 
narrow leaves peculiar to this. The fruit is the same as the 
other variety, and the tree equally hardy. 

SIBERIAN. Pr. cat. 
Abricotier de Sib^rie, N. Duh. 

Armeniaca Sibirica. N. Duh. Pars, synop. Lond. Hort. cat. 
Prunus Sibirica. Lin. Pall. Gmel. Wild. Lond. Hort. cat. 
Siberian Almond. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

The present is a distinct species; the leaves are oval, acute, 
dentated, and supported upon long petioles, measuring six lines 
or thereabout ; the fruit is sessile, the size of a small plum, and 
covered with a velvety skin, which is yellow on the shaded side, 
and bright red next the sun ; the flesh, of which there is not a 
great deal, is fibrous, almost dry, and of acid flavour ; the 
stone contains a kernel which is slightly bitter. This species 
is originally from Siberia, where it grows in mountainous local- 
ities, and it is seldom cultivated except in Botanic gardens. It 
is known in general under the title of Siberian Almond, and is 
so placed in the 25th edition of my catalogue, but Duhamel 
having ranged it in the class of apricots, I have now adopted 
the same course. In the London Horticultural Society's cata- 
logue, this is confused with the Peach-leaved apricot, and the 
two are united as one fruit, when none whatever are more 
widely distinct. 



173 



PEACHES. 



EARLIEST WHITE NUTMEG. Pr. cat. 

Early white Nutmeg. Lond. Hort. cat. 

White Nutmeg. Lond. Hort. cat. Mil. For., &c. 

Avant P^che blanche. Duh. Roz. Jard. fruit., and all other 

French writers. 
Avant blanche, of some French catalogues. 
Green Nutmegs of some gardens. 

This French variety many pomologists have considered synony- 
mous with the Common White Nutmeg of our gardens ; but 
it is a very different fruit, smaller in size and consequently in- 
ferior in value, though earlier at maturity. The genuine kind 
I have now under culture in my collection, and as this is called 
the White Nutmeg by English writers, I have added the term 
" Earliest" to distinguish it from our more common variety. 

The flowers are rather large, of a very pale rose colour or 
nearly white ; the fruit is very small, being not more than an 
inch, either in diameter or height ; it is on one side marked 
with a very deep groove, extending from the base to the sum- 
mit, which is terminated by a small pointed tit or mamelon ; the 
skin is delicate, covered with down, and whitish all over, and 
it is but very seldom that it becomes coloured with a slight de- 
gree of red, even on the sunny side, and only when the heat 
is very great at the Mime it attains to maturity; the flesh is 
white even next to the stone, succulent, full of very sweet 
juice, which possesses also a musky perfume, that renders it 
very agi'eeable ; the stone is small, whitish or partially colour- 



n4 PEACHES. 

ed, and slightly adhering to the flesh. This is the earliest of 
peaches, ripening at the beginning of July, and the ants are 
very eager to attack it. 

RED NUTMEG. Pr. cat. Lond. hort. cat. and other 

ENGLISH PUBLICATIONS. 

Red or scarlet nutmeg, Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Scarlet nutmeg, of some American collections. 

Avant Peche rouse, } t\ i i .1 -n- 1 

Avant Piche de Troyes, I '"'^ other French authors. 

Avant rouge, } c 1.^1 

St. Laurent rouge, I of many French catalogues. 

This tree has large rose-coloured flowers ; the fruit is larger 
than that of the preceding variety, being fifteen to sixteen lines 
in diameter, by thirteen to fourteen in height ; the longitudi- 
nal groove, which divides it lengthwise on one side, is not 
deep, and it is but seldom that it terminates in a mamelon or 
tit, but there are two small cavities at the place where that 
would have been situated ; the skin covered with down, is of 
a pale yellow colour where shaded, and tinged with bright red 
next the sun ; the flesh is white, melting, slightly touched with 
red under the skin on the sunny side, but without any red 
fibres near the stone, and is full of juice, possessing a sweet 
and musky flavour ; the stone is seven lines in length, six in 
diameter, and five in thickness — it in general separates pretty 
easily from the flesh, but at other times cannot be detached 
without much difiiculty ; it is at maturity about the end of 
July or early in August, and the ants and earwigs are very 
partial to it. 



SMALL, OR PETITE MIGNONNE. Pr. cat. 

Petite Mignonne, \ 
Double de Troyes, > Duh. 
Peche de Troyes, y 

This variety, besides being larger than the Red Nutmeg, is 
also distinguished from it by its small flowers of a very pale 
rose colour, which are but eight to eight and a half lines in 



PEACHES. 



175 



diameter ; the leaves are furnished at their base with reniform 
glands ; the fruit is commonly seventeen to eighteen lines in 
diameter, and in general nearly of equal height ; one of its 
sides is marked by a longitudinal groove, not very distinct, 
and the summit is terminated by a very small tit or point ; the 
skin is thin, covered with down, and tinged with red next the 
sun, the residue being wholly whitish, or sometimes more 
or less speckled with red dots ; the flesh is white, partially 
melting, rather sweet, and considerably perfumed, and sepa- 
rates readily from the stoije, which is whitish or a very light 
brownish red, and is but eight lines in length, six in breadth, 
and five in thickness. This is one of the first peaches in rip- 
ening, and in early seasons is jn eating at the end of July, and 
in ordinary years about the middle of August. 

NOBLESSE. Pr. cat. Pom. mag. 

Noblesse, of all English writers, beginning with Switzer in 1724, 

Noblest. Miller, No. 13, ed. 8. 

Mellish^s Pavourite, of the English gardens. 

Double Montagne. Lend. Hort. Soc. cat. No. 48. 

Malta, } some American collections. 

English Malta ? ^ 

The following very complete description of this fruit I 
transcribe from the Pomological Magazine. 

"Flowers large, pale blush; leaves serrated, glandless; 
fruit large, in general of a roundish shape, somewhat hollow, 
the shape of the fruit varies on the same tree, being often a 
little elongated, with a large point on the summit ; skin slightly 
downy, marbled dull red next the sun, somewhat streaked with 
darker, breaking off in faint blotches towards the shaded side, 
which is pale yellowish green ; flesh white to the stone, from 
which it parts freely, melting and rich ; stone large, pale, obo- 
vate, pointed ; ripens in the end of August or beginning of 
September. It is one of the principal sorts for forcing. The 
tree is hardy and a good bearer." 

Switzer in his " Practical Fruit Gardener," published in 
London in 1 824, speaks thus of the Noblesse of his time : 



176 



PEACHES. 



" The Noblesse peach, for largeness, good taste, and the 
hardiness and the durableness of the tree, is not equalled, much 
less excelled, by any fruit we have in England ; perfectly 
agreeing with our soil and climate, as much as if it had been 
a native of our own. It succeeds the Montauban, and for size 
improves upon him. The flowers are of the whitish pale blush, 
and the leaves somewhat serrated ; in short, it is the best peach 
(take it altogether) of any we have had from France ; and a 
man that is content with, or has but room for a few, cannot do 
better than to plant the Montauban and Noblesse peach, pre- 
ferable to any other." 

Hence it appears that this celebrated variety is of French 
origin, and yet it is singular that it has not hitherto been iden- 
tified with any thing in the modern French gardens. This has 
induced me to put together the following remarks : 

*' The Noblesse peach is in the section of ' serrated gland- 
less leaves, large flowers, melters,' of Mr. Lindley's classifica- 
tion. The French include in this section, according to the 
' Bon Jardinier,' the Avant-Peche Blanche (White Nutmeg, 
Miller,) Madeleine Blanche, de Malta, Madeleine de Courson, 
Cardinale, d'Ispahan, and Nain. 

"The three last are peculiar sorts, not generally cultivated, 
nor does the merit of their fruit deserve that they should be ; 
and the first is only cultivated for its precocity. The Made- 
leine de Courson is bright red next the sun, and mottled with 
small dots towards the shaded side, not marbled with blotches 
like the Noblesse, and its flesh is red at the stone. The Peche 
de Malta, as the French likewise admit, has an aflinity to the 
Madeleine Blanche or the Montague Blanche, and to these 
the Noblesse is nearly allied, by its colour outwardly, the na- 
ture and colour of its flesh, and in being also white to the 
stone ; but it is nevertheless diflerent, being larger. 

*' The Double Montague has proved synonymous to the 
Noblesse. Knoop describes the Madeleine Blanche and ad- 
mits it to be the same as that called in the Low Countries the 
Montague Blanche. He also describes the Double Montague, 
but speaks of it with more uncertainty. He states it to be a 



PEACHES, 



177 



clingstone ; but this he does of many others well knoM(n to be 
melters. 

" In Mayer's Pomona Franconica, vol. ii. p. 234, the Avant- 
Peche Blanche of Duhamel, and the White Nutmeg of Miller, 
r is stated to be called in Holland * La Montague,' but this is 
contrary to the statement of Knoop before referred to, and as he 
describes the Madeleine Blanche as * une grande et belle Peche,' 
he would not mistake the White Nutmeg for it, when he says, 
^ Je i^ense que cette sorte est la meme qu'on appelle dan$ ce 
pays-ci la Montagne Blanche, a cause que la description de 
cette derniere sorte est entierement conforme a celle-ci.' 

" It appears, therefore, from the above authorities, that the 
Montagne and Madeleine Blanche are the same thing. The 

* Montagne Double' is, without doubt, a larger variety of the 

* Montagne Simple ;' as may easily be inferred from the sense 
in which double is used in the Netherlands. 

" From circumstances I think we are justified in concluding, 
that if the Noblesse peach is in cultivation in France, it must 
be included among their Madeleine Blanche peaches. To the 
Noblesse are closely allied Ford's Seedling, Sulhamstead, 
Cambray, Montauban, Vanguard." 

It is further remarked in the Pomological Magazine, that 
the Noblesse of the Americans appears, from Coxe's account 
6f it, to be very different from the foregoing ; but I believe the 
one cultivated in my collection is the same as here described, 
and Mr. Coxe may have been led into a mistake from his tree 
being an erroneous one, as there were formerly several kinds 
cultivated near New- York to which the different owners gave 
this title. 

EARLY CHEVREUSE. Pr. cat. 

Chevreuse kdtive. Duh. Roz. 
Belle Chevreuse. Die. d'Agric. gyn. 

The flower of this tree is small ; the fruit of fine size, ra- 
- ther oblong, divided on one of its sides by a very distinct 
groove, one border of which is more elevated than the other; 

23 



178 



PEACHES. 



it is terminated at the summit by a small pointed nipple, and 
the surface is often scattered over with little protuberances, 
especially towards its base ; the skin is tinged with bright red 
on the sunny side ; the flesh is melting, replete with juice, 
which is sweet and of very agreeable flavour, and it is white 
except around the stone, where it becomes red ; the colour of 
the stone is a brownish red, and it is of a moderate size, some- 
what elongated. This peach ripens towards the middle or 
end of August, and the tree generally yields abundant crops. 

LATE CHEVREUSE. Pr. cat. 

Chevreuse tardive. N. Duh. 
Chevreuse tardive, Pourpr^e. O. Duh. 

The leaves of this tree are furnished at their base with reni- 
form glands ; the flowers are rose-coloured, and about ten 
lines in breadth ; the fruit is not exactly round, but is some- 
times a little compressed, and frequently presents small eleva- 
tions forming a kind of protuberances ; it is twenty-six lines 
in diameter, and twenty-four in height; the longitudinal 
groove, which divides it into two sections, is always very dis- 
tinct, and it frequently happens that one side of it is more 
swollen than the other ; the summit is terminated by a very 
distinct nipple ; the skin is pale where shaded, and a fine dark 
red where exposed to the sun ; the flesh is somewhat red around 
the stone, but the residue is white — it is melting, and pretty 
abundant in juice, which is bland, sweet, and of pleasant 
taste ; the stone is very elongated, sixteen lines in length, and 
ten to eleven broad — the point which terminates it is often a 
line in length. This peach attains to maturity at the end of 
September. 

BELLE CHEVREUSE. Pr. CAT. Duh. Roz. 
Bellechevreuse. 

This peach is much less regularly rounded than most of the 
other kinds ; it is usually of greater height than breadth, often 



PEACHES. 



179 



measuring thirty-one lines in the former, and twenty-eight lines 
in the latter direction ; the longitudinal groove which sepa- 
rates it into two sections, forms this division in such a manner 
that one side of the groove is commonly flattened, whilst the 
other is swollen and more conspicuous, the summit is termi- 
nated by a small nipple scarcely apparent, and in most cases 
the fruit presents numerous protuberances scattered over its 
surface ; the skin is thick, velvety, whitish where shaded, and 
somewhat coloured next the sun — it separates pretty readily 
from the flesh, which is white, except around the stone, where 
the colour is rather a dark red ; it is melting, full of juice, of 
^ vinous, sweet, and excellent taste ; the stone separates tolera- 
bly well from the flesh, although some particles remain at- 
tached to it; it is of a reddish brown colour, large, seventeen 
lines in length, including a point of more than a line long ; 
and an inch in diameter. This peach ripens at the end of 
September or the beginning of October. 

ROYAL GEORGE. Pk. cat. Pom. mag. 

Royal George, of the English nurseries. Hort. Soc. fruit, cat. 
Red Magdalen, ^ 

MilleWs Mignonne, > of the English nurseries. 
Lockyer^s Mignonne, ) 

Madeleine rouge a petites Jleurs, of the French. 

The Pomological Magazine gives the following detailed 
description of this valuable freestone variety. 

" This and the sort usually sold in the nurseries under the 
name of Red Magdelen, are the same. The Red Magdalen 
of Miller (Madeleine de Courson of the French) is less com- 
mon, but is easily distinguished, not so much by its fruit as by 
its flowers, which are large. Ripens in the end of August or 
beginning of September, and is a proper sort for a peach- 
house. 

" The Royal George and Red Magdalen are different, say 
some, because the former is subject to mildew ; others say there 
is a difference, because the latter is the one the most subject to 



180 



PEACHES. 



it. The fact is, the same tree will mildew in one season, and 
not in another. A remedy, or at least a preventive in a great 
measure for this, is to keep the grounds cleai? and in good 
condition, and to see that there be nothing to obstruct a free 
circulation of air, and a full admission of sun. 

" In addition to the synonymes above enumerated, it is ex- 
tremely probable that Lord Fauconberg's Mignonne, the Early 
Royal George of the North of England, and the Grandville 
peach, are the same. It is also almost beyond a doubt, that 
the Madeleine Rouge a petites fleurs of the French, is the ori- 
ginal of the whole of them. 

" Flowers small ; leaves serrated, glandless ; fruit large, 
globular, moderately deeply marked by the suture along one 
side, with generally a slight depression on the summit ; skin 
dark purplish red where not exposed, the shaded side is whit- 
ish, the intermediate space between the shaded and most ex- 
posed part is thickly mottled with small red dots ; flesh white, 
rayed with red next the stone, melting, rich, with a plentiful, 
highly-sugared juice ; stone middle-sized, or rather small, and 
of a red colour, parting from the flesh." 

ISPAHAN. Pr. cat. N. Duh. 

This variety is a shrub of ten or twelve feet in height, and 
forms a round thick bush, filled with numerous branches ; the 
leaves are alternate, lanceolate, from one to two inches long, 
smooth, of a lively green on the upper side, and a paler green 
beneath, serrated, supported on short petioles, and devoid of 
glands ; the flowers, although they are only twelve to thirteen 
lines in diameter, may be ranked among those of large size, 
on account of the form of the petals, which are round— they 
are of a delicate rose colour ; the fruit is nearly spherical, 
marked on one side by a deep furrow, and measures from three 
inches to three inches nine lines in circumference in each direc- 
tion ; the skin, which is covered with down and adheres to the 
flesh, is at first greenish, but becomes pale yellow at the pe- 



PEACHES. 



181 



riod of maturity, with a slight tinge of dull red on the sunny 
side ; the flesh is white, somewhat reddish near the stone, melt- 
ing, and abounding with sweet juice of a vinous and agreeable 
flavour, and it separates easily from the stone, which is almost 
round in its circumference, obtuse at its base, and terminated 
at its summit by an acute point. This peach has some affinity 
to the Avant-blanche, which however ripens two months sooner, 
and has leaves four times as large. 

The present most singular variety, which is much more of a 
bush than a tree, and whose whole appearance is so very strik- 
ing and peculiar, was found by Bruguiere and Olivier, during 
their travels in Persia, growing in the gardens of Ispahan, 
where they frequently met with it flourishing naturally, with- 
out any of the advantages of ingrafting or pruning. It pro- 
duced fruit for the first time at Paris, in 1806, which attained 
to maturity in September ; but in Persia, the travellers referred 
to found the fruit ripe in November. 

I have noticed that during very severe winters the ends of 
the branches are sometimes partially injured by |he cold, in 
latitudes north of New- York. 



BELLEGARDE. Pr. cat, Duh. Pom. jiag. Mil, 
GalandCi J 

Early Galande, > of the English nurseries. 
Violette hativej y 

Galande, 6c Galante, } ^ t« i. • 
Noire deMontreuil, I of some French nurseries. 



In regard to this fruit, the Pomological Magazine gives the 
following descriptive remarks. 

" It has been the fate of almost every peach of high merit 
to be known by many difierent appellations, particular culti- 
vators having given names of their own to that which was 
named before. Thus this, one of the most delicious of the 
varieties that ripen in the beginning of September, has no 
fewer than five names, under all of which it is often cultivated. 
In addition to its good qualities as a fruit, this possesses 



182 



the merit of being a remarkably healthy tree, not subject to 
mildew. Both by the French and ourselves it is placed among 
the foremost class of melting peaches. It comes in at the be- 
ginning of September, after the Red Magdalen. 

Leaves crenated, with globose glands ; flowers small, 
bright reddish pink ; fruit large, globular, of a very regular 
figure, with a shallow suture, and a slightly hollowed eye, with 
a little projecting point in its centre ; colour on the exposed 
side rich deep red, with dark purple or violet streaks — on the 
shaded side pale green, faintly tinged with yellow ; flesh pale 
yellow, slightly rayed with red at the stone, very melting, juicy, 
and rich ; stone parts freely, rather large, slightly pointed." 

Duhamel states that this variety greatly resembles the Ad- 
mirable, and that it only differs in respect to its skin, being 
almost wholly tinged with purplish red, which approaches to 
black on the sunny side ; and in its flesh being more firm, as 
if breaking, and it also ripens at least fifteen days sooner, that 
is to say, at the end of August, and this is about the period at 
which it attains to maturity in our country. 

This variety is very extensively cultivated at Montreuil, near 
Paris, where the tree is considered one of the most productive 
and hardy, supporting the cold much better than many other 
kinds. 



YELLOW ALBERGE. Pr. cat. 

P^chejaune, > -^^^ 
Alter ge jaune, \ 

Rossanne, O. Duh. and some other French writers and 

catalogues. 
Rosamont. Die. d'Agric. syn. 

Petite Rossanne. Bon Jard. (supposed erroneously, Auth.) 

St. Laurent jaune, of some French catalogues. 

Rosanna, 

The flowers of this tree are of a delicate rose colour, and 
are small, being but ten lines in diameter ; the leaves are fur- 
nished at their base with rounded glands ; the fruit is twenty- 
four Unes in height, and twenty-six or twenty-seven in diame- 



PEACHES. 



188 



ter— sometimes it is one-fourth smaller in all its parts ; it is 
covered with a velvety skin, of a deep purple colour on the 
sunny side, and often over more than half the surface, and is 
yellow on that part which is shaded, but usually speckled all 
over with red dots ; the skin is easily detached from the flesh. 
In respect to form, the fruit has not much peculiarity, except 
that the longitudinal groove is in general strongly marked and 
likewise slightly apparent on the opposite side ; the summit is 
somewhat sunken, and often presents a very small tit which 
scarcely projects at all ; the flesh is entirely yellow, except 
around the stone, where it is of a rather dark red — it is also 
melting, and abounds in sweet and vinous juice very agreeable 
to the taste ; the stone separates pretty easily from the flesh — 
it is of a brownish red colour, measures nine lines in breadth, 
by eleven in height, and terminates often in a very short point. 
This fruit is at maturity the end of August or beginning of 
September ; it is subject to vary in^ respect to size, by which 
circumstance the editors of the new edition of Duhamel, sup- 
pose that author must have been influenced, when he distin- 
guished the Rossanne peach in the original edition as a differ- 
ent fruit, which they state to be identically the same kind, the 
fruit being varied in size, and acquiring greater or less dimen- 
sions according to the vigour of the trees and the nature of 
the soil. I consider this to be the Rossanne, and the following 
kind to be the Petite Rossanne of French writers where the 
terms are properly applied, but much confusion exists among 
them in this respect. 

EARLY YELLOW ALBERGE. Pr. cat. 
Amnt p^che jaune . Duh . 

Alherge jaune precoce, of some French catalogues. 
Rossanne. Die. d'Agric. syn. 
Petite Rossanne, Auth. 

This peach is distinguished from the preceding, by its being 
much smaller in size, and ripening at a much earlier period, 
but its flowers and leaves do not differ ; it is sixteen lines in 



184 



PEACHES. 



diameter, and seventeen in height, divided by a shallow longi- 
tudinal groove, and terminated by a large pointed and curved 
mamelon ; the skin, which is covered with thick down, is yel- 
low on the side that is shaded, and coloured with dark red on 
the side exposed to the sun ; the flesh is melting, of a fine 
golden yellow colour, tinged with red around the stone, and 
of a sweet flavour ; the stone is brownish red, terminating in 
an obtuse point, and about seven lines long and six broad. 
In early seasons this fruit is in eating at the end of July, and 
in ordinary years towards the middle of August. I have no 
doubt the title adopted and the synonymes apply to the same 
fruit, and I have been guided by my own judgment in their 
arrangement. 

MADELEINE DE COURSON. Pom. mag. Pr. cat. 
Lel. Pom. Fk. p. 292, G.Lind. in Hoet. trans, vol. v. p. 539. 

HORT. See. FRUIT. CAT. NO. 84. 

Med Magdalen of Courson. Pr. cat. 25 ed. 

Madeleine Rouge, or Madeleine de Courson, Duh. Nois. Jard. 

Bon Jard. 1828. 
Magdelene rouge de Courson, of French writers and catalogues. 

Puysanne, ^ of the French. 

Rouge Paysanne, ^ 

Red Magdalen, Miller's Diet. ed. 8. 

An excellent freestone variety, ripening in the end of Au- 
gust or beginning of September, about the time of the Grosse 
Mignonne. It is very diflerent from the Red Magdalen peach 
of the (English) nurseries, which is a larger fruit, with more 
colour, and small flowers. The tree is rather subject to mil- 
dew. According to Mr. Lindley, this is the true Red Mag- 
dalen peach of Miller. It is remarkable for its fine, rich, 
vinous flavour. 

Leaves dark green, coarsely and doubly serrated, glandless ; 
flowers large, pale blush ; fruit small, globular, flattened, deeply 
cleft on one side ; colour pale yellow, with a blush of clear 
pink where exposed ; flesh quite white, not stained at the stone, 
from which it parts freely — very melting, juicy, vinous, and 
rich ; stone blunts rather large for so small a fruit.— i'ewi. Mug. 



PEACHES, 



185 



LATE RED MAGDALEN. Auth. 

Madeleine rouge tardive a petite Jleur, Duh. 
Madeleine rouge tardive, ou a petites jleurs, > j^^^ j^^^ 
Madeleine a moyenne Jleur s, 5 

Duhamel designates this fruit as a variety of the Red Mag- 
dalen, of which many seminal varieties exist, partially varying 
in the several points of distinction, and all producing good 
fruit. The present one is distinguished by its small flowers ; 
the fruit is of medium size, and highly coloured, the cavity in 
which the peduncle is inserted is generally surrounded by se- 
veral pretty distinct furrows ; the flesh is of very good flavour, 
and it ripens at the end of October. It would seem that the 
Pomological Magazine intends to quote this as a synonyme of 
the Royal George, but omits the word " tardive f and without 
having any reason to doubt the fact of synonomy, I have in- 
serted the remarks of Duhamel, leaving the subject to be fully 
investigated hereafter. 

WHITE MAGDALEN. Pr, cat. 
Madeleine blanche. Duh. Roz. 

The flowers of this tree are of a delicate red colour, fourteen 
to fifteen lines in breadth, and the leaves are devoid of glands ; 
the fruit is twenty-three to twenty-four lines in height, twenty- 
five to twenty-seven in its greatest diameter, and covered with 
a velvety skin, which is whitish over nearly the whole of its 
surface, and only speckled with red dots on the side exposed 
to the sun ; the longitudinal groove that divides the fruit, is 
partially apparent on one of its sides, and becomes more dis- 
tinct at the summit, and that section also presents a very small 
point, being the remains of the style, which does not form a 
very perfect mamelon ; the flesh is white, melting, succulent, 
delicate, abounding in sweet juice, of a rich and musky taste ; 
the stone is small according to the original Duhamel, but it is 
stated in the New Duhamel that it has, on the contrary, 

24 



186 



PEACHES. 



been often found large in proportion to the size of the fruit, it 
being in many cases fourteen lines long, and eleven and a half 
in its greatest diameter, with the section towards the point very 
much swollen, whereas the base is much more narrow. This 
peach ripens from the fifteenth of August to the end of that 
month. 

SMALL WHITE MAGDALEN. Auth. 

Petite Madeleine blanche. Duh. 

This variety only differs from the preceding one in respect 
to the dimensions of the fruit, which in the present case is of 
less size; and by its being hollowed at the summit, where there 
is a very visible cavity ; and in the colour of the skin, which is 
of a still whiter appearance. 

GROSSE MIGNONNE. Pr. cat. Pom. mag. Duh. 
Jard. fruit. Bon Jard. Lond. hort. cat. 

Grimwood^s Royal George. Hook. Pom. Lond. 

Grimwood's New Royal George, ^ 

Large French Mignonne, > of the English nurseries, 

French Mignonne, ) 
Mignonne, ^ 

Veloutee, > of the French gardens. 

Velout^e de Merlet, y 

Royal Kensington. G. Lindley in Hort. Trans, vol. y. p. 544. 
Early Vineyard. G. Lindley in Hort. Trans, vol. v. p. 543. 
Grosse Lieblingspjirsiche. Taschenbuch, p. 478. 

The excellence of this variety will account for the number 
of different names under which it is cultivated. Some of these 
have previously been determined as synonymous ; a few are 
now so considered for the first time. It is not improbable that 
the Marlborough, Rmiald^s Early Galande, Padley''s Early 
Purple, and the Sioiss Mignonne, will be hereafter added to 
the list ; if not the same as the Grosse Mignonne, they differ 
from it so little as not to be worth cultivating in the same gar- 
dens as distinct varieties. The Vineuse de Fromentin of the 



PEACHES. 



187 



French differs only in being somewhat larger, rather longer, 
and not so much hollowed on the summit. 

A beautiful, melting, delicious variety, ripening in the be- 
ginning of September. One of the finest peaches in culti- 
vation. 

Leaves crenated, with globose glands ; flowers large, dark 
purplish-red ; fruit large, depressed, and hollowed at the sum- 
mit, with a moderately deep suture on one side, and a wide 
cavity at the base — the side marked by the suture is shorter 
than the opposite one ; skin rather thinly clad with down ; co- 
lour rich deep red next the sun, thickly mottled on a yellow 
ground towards the shade ; flesh pale yellow, rayed with red 
next the stone, from which it parts freely, melting, juicy, with 
a rich vinous flavour ; stone small for the size of the fruit, 
, ovate, very rugged. — Pom. Mag. 

LATE MIGNONNE. Auth. 

Mignonne tardive. N. Duh, 

This peach greatly resembles the Grosse Mignonne, the tree 
like that variety produces large flowers,which are of a delicate rose 
colour, and seventeen to eighteen lines in diameter ; the essential 
distinction is in the glands of the leaves, which are reniform, 
instead of being globular, and in the fruit, which is not sensi- 
bly hollowed at the summit, but is terminated by a very distinct 
nipple or mamelon, although it is very small ; the fruit is of 
fine size, and measures twenty-six to thirty lines in its greatest 
diameter, and twenty-five to twenty-eight in height ; the flesh 
is white, somewhat coloured with red around the stone, very 
melting, replete with juice of a sweet, rich, and vinous flavour, 
and as pleasant as that of the Grosse Mignonne ; the stone 
detaches itself pretty easily from the flesh, and is of a reddish 
brown colour, fourteen lines or a little more in length, and 
nine in its greatest diameter. This is an excellent fruit ripen- 
ing in the earliest part of September, and sometimes at the end 
of August in an early season, but always eight to ten days 



188 



PEACHES. 



after the Grosse Mignouneo It is cultivated in the Jardin des 
Plantes at Paris. 

ROUND TRANSPARENT. Pr. cat. 

Transparente Ronde. N. Duh, and of some French catalogues. 

This tree produces flowers of a beautiful rose colour, about 
fourteen lines in diameter, and its leaves are furnished with re- 
niform glands. This last character forms its especiaFdistinc- 
tion from the Grosse Mignonne, as the fruit differs but little 
from that variety, except in point of size — it being only twenty- 
two to twenty-three lines in height, by two inches at most in 
diameter; its form, colour, and flavour do not present on their 
part any essential differences ; the stone is more oblong in pro- 
portion to the size of the fruit, measuring thirteen to fourteen 
lines in length, with a peculiar point, ordinarily very project- 
ing, and is nine to ten lines in its greatest diameter, and very 
perceptibly contracted towards its base. This peach is culti- 
vated in the Jardin des Plantes at Paris, and ripens at the end 
of August, or beginning of September. I introduced it to 
this country from the South of France, about six or seven 
years since. 

English CHANCELLOR. Pk. cat. 
Chancellor. Pom. Mag. Mil. Lond. Hort. cat. No. 40. 

This peach, which is by no means uncommon, is said to be 
^^tinct from the fruit of the same name in the French gardens, 
which is described by Duhamel as having large flowers. In 
other respects, however, the two seem to be much alike. 

is generally considered, that the English Chancellor peach 
is t\m variety alluded to by Duhamel in describing the true 
ki^d. In the Jardin Fruitier the true Chancellor is stated to 
fesemble the Chevrease hative, which this does also, except in 
l^ii^g later* It is earlier than the late Chevreuse ; and, ex- 
cept those two, there is no peach in the section to which it be- 



PEACHES. 



189 



longs that it is like. The middle of September is the usual 
time of ripening. 

Leaves crenated, with reniform glands ; flowers small, red- 
dish ; fruit large, oval, with a very distinct channel on one 
side ; cavity at the footstalk rather small ; skin not very downy, 
dark crimson next the sun, pale yellow next the wall, finely 
mottled towards the union of the two colours — it peels freely ; 
flesh pale yellow, very deep red from the stone half-way 
through, melting, very juicy and rich, with a vinous flavour — 
it parts freely from the stone, but leaves some fibres behind ; 
stone oblong, tapering to the base, pointed at summit, with a 
surface almost like that of a clingstone. A capital sort. 

The French Chancellor of the nurseries, and of the London 
Horticultural Society's Fruit Catalogue, No. 41 , is propably not 
distinct from this. The name appears to have originated in 
a nursery in the North of England. — Pom, Mag, 

FRENCH CHANCELLOR. Pr. cat. 
Chancellor. N. Duh. 

Veritable Chancelliere a grande fieur, O. Duh. 
Chancellor, 

This variety has large flowers ; the fruit is twenty-two lines 
in height, and twenty-four in diameter — it is divided into two 
unequal sections by a longitudinal furrow, which is deepest at 
its base ; and it is terminated by a very small mamelon ; the 
skin is a fine red next the sun ; the flesh is melting, sweet, and 
of very pleasant flavour. This peach is at maturity the begin- 
ning of September. 

EARLY PURPLE. Pr. cat. 
Pourprie hative. N. Duh. 

Veritable Pourpr^e hative a grande fieur, O. Duh. 

The flowers of this tree are large and bright red ; the fruit 
is twenty-five to twenty-seven lines in diameter, and twenty-three 



190 



PEACHES. 



to twenty-four in height — =it is divided on one side lengthwise? 
by a broad and rather deep channel, which terminates in a 
considerable cavity at the summit ; the skin is a fine dark red 
next the sun, and speckled on the opposite side with very 
small bright red dots, in such a manner that when they are 
very close to each other, it appears to be entirely of a red co- 
lour ; it is also wholly covered with a fine thick down, and 
readily separates from the flesh ; the latter is white, except 
around the stone, where there are some red veins — it is very 
melting, and abounds in juice of an excellent flavour ; the 
stone is brownish red, and does not adhere to the flesh. This 
peach ripens early, being commonly eaten during the first part 
of August, and is esteemed a very good fruit. 



VINOUS PURPLE. Pk. cat. 

Pour-pree vineuse, ^ Duh 

Pourpree hative vineuse, ^ 
Vineuse, La Vineuse. 
Vineuse de Fromentin ? 

This tree also has large flowers, of a bright red colour ; the 
fruit is of fine size, divided on one side into two sections by a 
rather deep groove ; the skin is thin, and separates readily from 
the flesh — it is covered with a very fine fawn coloured down, 
and its whole surface is a very dark red, including even those 
parts which are not exposed to the sun ; the flesh is succulent, 
with a profusion of juice of a vinous taste, accompanied in 
some cases with a slightly acid flavour ; the colour is white, 
except under the skin and around the stone, where it becomes 
very red ; the stone is brownish red, and detaches itself easily 
from the flesh. This peach has considerable aflinity to the 
Grosse Mignonne, but is distinguished by the colour of its 
skin and flesh. 



PEACHES. 



191 



LATE PURPLE. Pr. cat. 

Pourpr^e tardive. Duh. Roz. 

This fine freestone peach has flowers of medium size, of a 
rose colour, and ten to eleven lines in breadth ; the fruit is one 
of the most beautiful of its class, and often measures thirty-one 
to thirty-two lines in its greatest diameter, by twenty-seven to 
twenty-eight in height ; the longitudinal groove which divides 
it on one of its sides, is not very distinct, and it extends beyond 
the summit, which is terminated by a small nipple ; the skin, 
which is covered with fine down, and separates easily from the 
flesh, is whitish on the shaded side, and reddish next the sun, 
where the red colour is frequently distributed in lines or stripes ; 
the flesh is white, except around the stone, where it becomes 
somewhat red — it is melting, very succulent, abounding in 
juice of a sweet, perfumed, vinous, and excellent flavour; the 
stone, which separates pretty readily from the flesh, is subject 
lo split — it measures fifteen to sixteen lines in length, and 
eleven to twelve in breadth, and is most swollen towards the 
point, and narrowest at the base. This peach is considered 
an excellent fruit, and ripens at the end of September or be- 
ginning of October. In my importations of fruit made from 
England, some years since, they sent me from one of the first 
establishments in that country for this variety, a late purple 
peach with a smooth skin, considerably resembling a nectarine, 
which beyond doubt must be one of the choice French Violet 
peaches, and I expect to be able soon to identify it with its 
proper title. 

MALTA. Pr. cat. Pom. mag. Mil. For. 

LOND. HORT. see. CAT. No. 90. 

P^che de Malte. Duh. Jard. Fruit. 
Belle de Paris, of the French. 

Malte de Normandie. Lend. Hort. Sec. cat. No. 91. 
Maliheser PJirsiche, Baum. Taschenb. 

The following description of this fine freestone peach I ex- 
tract from the Pomological Magazine. 



m 



PEACHES. 



One of the very best of the melting peaches, ripening 
about the end of August. It bears carriage remarkably well, 
and will keep longer when gathered than any other peach, 
except the clingstones. From its reputed capability of bear- 
ing as a standard, it would be probably found to ripen on an 
east or west wall. 

" Leaves doubly serrated, rather larger than usual, without 
glands ; flowers large, pale ; fruit middle-sized, generally de- 
pressed at the apex, with a broad shallow suture on one side, 
and slight traces of one on the other ; colour on the shaded 
side pale dull green, next the sun broadly marbled with broken 
blotches of dull purplish red ; flesh greenish yellow, with a 
slight stain of purple next the stone, from which it parts freely, 
very rich and juicy, with an extremely agreeable vinous fla- 
vour ; stone middle-sized, oval, pointed, rather rugged. 

" The sort cultivated in Normandy was a short time since 
supposed to be a variety distinct from the Peche de Malte of 
Duhamel ; but from plants grown in the garden of the Horti- 
cultural Society last summer, the two are now judged to be 
the same. 

" Upon the authority of Miller, the Italian is said to be a 
kind nearly the same as this." 

GEORGE THE FOURTH. Pr. cat. Pom. mag. 

This fine freestone variety is stated to have originated in the 
garden of Mr. Gill, in Broad-street, New-York. The tree is 
of vigorous growth, and produces plentiful crops ; the flowers 
are of small size, and a dingy red colour ; the leaves indicate 
much vigour, and are of large size, with acute crenatures, and 
are attended with small globular glands ; the fruit is dark red 
on the sunny side, and on the part that is shaded a fine light 
yellow, marbled with a lively shade of red where the colours 
meet each other ; the flesh is straw colour, with some veins of 
red near the stone, which is of small size ; in point of flavour, 
it may be ranked among our very good peaches, but we have 
a number that are more rich and perfumed ; in size this peach 



PEACHES. 



193 



is about medium ; the form is round, deeply lobed at the head, 
and the stem is inserted within a deep cavity, which extends 
more towards one side of the suture than the other. 



BEAUTY OF VITRY. Pr. cat. 

Belle de Vifry, > -^^^ 

Admirable tardive, ^ 

Belle de Vitri. Die. d'Agric. 

The leaves of this tree are furnished at their base with 
rounded glands ; the flowers are of medium size, and eleven to 
twelve lines in breadth ; the fruit is beautiful, and measures 
twenty-six to twenty-eight lines in height and often thirty ; its 
diameter is in proportion from twenty-eight to thirty and some- 
times even thirty-three or thirty-four lines ; its form has no pe- 
culiar characteristic, the longitudinal groove is not deep, but 
extends a little beyond the summit of the fruit, where there is 
a very small mamelon or nipple ; the skin is generally velvety, 
almost entirely of a whitish green, except on the sunny side, 
which is slightly washed with red ; it separates readily from 
the flesh, which is white with the exception of that part next 
the stone, where it becomes slightly reddish ; it is very succu- 
lent and replete with juice of a sweet, rich, and very pleasant 
flavour; the stone is large, oblong, swollen at the part next 
the point, and thin at the base ; it is fifteen to sixteen hues in 
length, by about eleven in its greatest diameter. This peach 
attains its perfect maturity, in the vicinity of Paris, at the 
end of September, or the beginning of October, and in the 
South of France about the middle of September. The pe- 
riod of the maturity of peaches is generally rather earlier in 
the vicinity of New- York than at Paris. Although I follow 
Duhamel in placing the Admirable tardive as a synonyme of 
this variety, I perceive that in some French catalogues, the 
titles are placed separately, as if referrible to distinct fruits. 

25 



194 



PEACHES. 



APRICOT PEACH. Pit. cat. 

P^che Ahricot, 
Admirable jaune, 
Ahricotee, 

Grosse P^che jaune tardive, 
P^che d^ Orange. 
Sandalie hermaphrodite. 
Pavie ahricote, Aud. lat. 
Grosse jaune. 
Peche de Burai. 
Yelloio Admirable. Orange peach. For. 
Yellow Apricot. Pii. hurt. 

The flowers of this tree are large ; the fruit is large, round, 
flattened, least broad at the head, and divided by a shallow 
longitudinal groove ; the skin is covered with down, yellow on 
the shaded side, and somewhat red on the part exposed to the 
sun ; the flesh is yellow like that of an apricot, and red next 
the stone ; it is rather firm, and sometimes even a little dry, 
unless it is perfectly ripe ; the juice is pleasant, perfumed, and 
much resembles the apricot, when the autumn is hot and fa- 
vourable for its maturity ; the stone is small in comparison 
with the size of the fruit, and it separates with difliculty from 
the flesh. This peach ripens at Paris about the middle of 
October, and on standards it gains in quality what it loses in 
size. Duhamel remarks that it may be propagated from seeds 
without degenerating ; he also remarks that it is sometimes 
met with producing small flowers, and that there also exists 
another variety with very large flowers, which yields still larger 
fruit. 




CATHARINE. Pr. cat. Pom. mag. Lang. pom. Switz. Mil. 
HiTT. For. Lond. hort. cat. 

I extract the following description of this clingstone variety 
from the Pomological Magazine. 

" An old and very valuable variety, ripening in the end of 
September and beginning of October, and possessing far 
greater merit than any other of our late clingstone peaches. 



PEACHES. 195 

When full}^ matured, it is excellent and extremely beautiful ; 
but to be eaten in perfection, it should have been gathered a 
few days. It is said to force well, which is an important qua- 
lity ; for from want of solar heat in this climate, all the cling- 
stone peaches acquire their flavour most perfectly in a forcing- 
house. It is an abundant bearer, and according to Forsyth, 
well adapted for tarts. 

It is remarkable, that although it appears from an old cata- 
logue of the Chartreux garden, that the Catharine was long 
since sent to France, under the name of La Belle Catharine, 
no trace of it is to be found in the great French works on 
pomology. 

" In the catalogue of fruits cultivated in the garden of the 
London Horticultural Society, the Green Catharine peach of 
the Americans is said to be the same as this ; but this a mis- 
take, that variety having globose, not renlform glands, (and 
being also a freestone, &:c. Auth.) 

The Incomparable peach is very nearly the same as the 
Catharine, but is distinguished by its higher colour, both in- 
side and outside, and by its flavour being inferior. On ac- 
count of its superior beauty, it is the most cultivated of the 
two. 

" Leaves crenate, with renlform glands, very deep green, 
somewhat puckered or crumpled on each side of the midrib ; 
flowers small, reddish ; fruit large, round, either depressed or 
pointed at the apex, in which respect it is very variable — to- 
wards the base the surface is uneven ; colour a beautiful red 
next the sun, marbled and dashed with darker shades, pale 
yellow next the wall, where it is sprinkled with many red dots ; 
flesh very firm, of a deep crimson next the stone to which it 
strongly adheres — towards the outside very white, becoming 
after having been gathered a few days tinged with yellow, and 
having then an abundance of juice, and a very rich and sweet 
flavour ; stone middle-sized, roundish-oval, very slightly 
pointed." 



196 



PEACHES. 



ADMIRABLE. Pk. cat. Duh. 

Admirable. Pr. cat. 25 ed. No. 102. 

The flowers of this tree are small, and of a purple rose co- 
lour ; the fruit is thirty lines in diameter, and twenty-seven in 
height — it is divided by a shallow longitudinal groove, and 
terminated at the summit by a very small nipple ; the skin is 
velvety, of a light yellow hue on the shaded side, and touched 
with bright red next the sun ; the flesh is white, except around 
the stone, where it is tinged with pale red — it is rather firm be- 
fore it attains to maturity, but when perfectly ripe, it becomes 
melting, with abundance of sweet juice, of a vinous, rich, and 
excellent flavour ; the stone is small in proportion to the size 
of the fruit, which is one of the finest peaches, and ripens about 
the middle of September ; the tree is very productive, but it 
is found in France to require more attention to the pruning, 
than most others because it often has some weak and feeble 
branches, and it sometimes loses very large ones, being quite 
subject to the cloqiie^ a malady which is attributed to the cold 
winds. 

NIVETTE. Pr. cat. Duh. 

Nivette veloutee. Duh. 

La Nivette, or La Veloutee. Die. d'Agric. 

Velotee tardive. 

The flowers of this tree are of medium size, and eleven to 
twelve lines in breadth ; the leaves are furnished at their base 
with rounded glands ; the fruit is large, and sometimes thirty 
lines in diameter, and of the same height — it is divided by a 
longitudinal groove of no great depth, one side of which is 
far more projecting than the other, and it is terminated at its 
summit by a very small nipple ; the skin is almost wholly of a 
yellowish white colour, and only occasionally tinged with some 
red veins on the sunny side — it separates pretty easily from the 
flesh, which is mostly white, but reddish around the stone, and 
this redness penetrates considerably into the fruit ; it is some- 



PEACHES. 



197 



wliat firm before it attains to perfect maturity, but becomes then 
very melting, and abounds in juice of a vinous, sweet, and 
excellent taste, sometimes however it is a little bitter ; the stone 
is proportionate to the size of the fruit, of a pretty regular 
oval form, although a little narrower at its base than at its 
point— it is eighteen lines in length, by an inch in diameter. 
This peach, which is one of the most beautiful and one of the 
best freestone varieties, ripens at the end of September. 



MONSTROUS POMPONNE. Pr. cat. 

Pavie de Pomponne. N. Duh. Jard. fruit. 

Pame rouge de Pomponne. O. Duh. 

Puvie monstreux, } t\ u 

„ . ' > Duh. syn. 

Pavi camu, ^ 

Gros Perseque rouge, 

Gros melecoton. 

Monstrous Pavie, Coxe. 

Monstrous Pavy of Pomponne. Royal Pavy. For. 

This tree is of very vigorous growth and appearance ; its 
kaves are large, with small indentures. The flowers are 
large, but do not open perfectly, the petals being much hol- 
lowed or spoon-shaped. The fruit is round and terminated 
by a large mamelon ; and it is not only one of the most beau- 
tiful, but surpasses all other peaches in size. Duhamel men- 
tions, that it is often fourteen inches in circumference, and it is 
stated in the Jardin Fruitier, that it is frequently to be met 
with in the vicinity of Paris, three and a half inches in diame- 
ter, which work further adds, that, the climate there does not 
admit of its attaining to that perfection which it acquires in 
the south of France. The skin is velvety, white, approaching 
to a greenish hue on the shade side, and of a fine red colour 
next to the sun. The flesh is very firm, red beneath the skin 
on the sunny side, and also around the stone, to both of which 
it adheres ; elsewhere it is white, and at maturity becomes 
sweet, musky, vinous, and of very pleasant flavour. In rainy 
and cold seasons, and in climates too far north, it does not 
perfect its fine quahties, and is often insipid, a warm and dry 
autumn being required for it to attain to perfection. The 



198 



PEAXIHES* 



Stone is small in comparison with the size of the fruit. Its pe- 
riod of ripening is in the month of October. In the more 
northern chmates, the fruit is sometimes gathered before ma- 
ture, to preserve it from the frosts, and it is then placed on 
shelves to ripen in the house. It is also frequently made use 
of for preserves and compotes. 



MAGDALEN CLINGSTONE. Pr. cat. 
Pavie hlanc. Duh. 

Pavie Madeleine, or magdeleine, Duh. syn. 

The leaves of this tree are devoid of glands ; its flowers are 
of a very delicate rose colour, and of large dimensions, being 
fifteen to sixteen lines in diameter. The fruit is twenty-four 
to twenty-six lines in height, and twenty-six to twenty-eight 
in its greatest diameter ; and is sometimes terminated by a 
very small mamelon. The skin is velvety, and almost entire- 
ly of a whitish hue, being speckled only with some reddish 
dots next the sun ; it does not separate from the flesh, which 
is firm, white, succulent, and of a vinous flavor at perfect ma- 
turity. The stone is of a brownish red colour, strongly adhe- 
ring to the flesh, and is thirteen lines in length, by about ten 
lines in diameter. This fruit ripens in the beginning of 
September. 



FRENCH BLOOD PEACH. Pr. cat. 

Sanguinol 
Betterave. 



Sanguinole. Duh. 



^ „ ^ Duh. syn. 
DruseUe. ^ 

Sanguinole. Bloody peach. For. 
Scarlet peach. Coxe. 
Ptche Carotte. Sanguine, or Blood. 
Bloody peach. Mulberry. 

This is a fruit of moderate size when produced on dry and 
arid soils, often there not exceeding seventeen to eighteen lines 
in diameter, and of the same height ; in good soils, however, 
jt attains to rather larger dimensions. The skin is thick, and 
separates with diflicnlty from the flesh j it is covered with very 



PEACHES. 



fine down of a grayish colour, and slightly tinged with dull 
red next the sun. The extremity of the fruit is usually termi- 
nated by a mamelon ; the flesh is of the colour of lees of rather 
dark-coloured red wine ; it has not much juice, and its flavour 
is slightly acid, or bitter, and not agreeable to the taste. The 
stone detaches itself easily from the flesh, and is thirteen lines 
in length and ten in breadth. This peach commonly ripens 
about the middle of September, or towards the beginning of 
October. In warm and early seasons its flavour is somewhat 
improved; it is much used for preserves and compotes, being 
far better when cooked than raw. It also serves to make 
beautiful pickles, but the clingstone variety is more generally 
used for this last named purpose throughout our country. 



CARDINALE. Pr. cat. Duh. Jaku. fruit. 

Cardinale de Furstemberg, 
Bloody peach. 

This peach Duhamel states to be much larger and better than 
the preceding one. The leaves have large indentures ; the 
flowers are large, and of a pale colour ; the fruit is round, and 
of the size of a Magdalen ; the skin is wholly of a dull reddish 
violet hue, and seemingly dirty, from the appearance of the 
thick russet-coloured down which adheres to it. The flesh is 
generally of a dark purple tint, with veins of the colour of the 
blood beet ; the taste is usually flat, or even insipid. It ripens 
in October, and in consequence of its want of flavour, is rather 
an object of curiosity on account of its colour, than of value in 
other respects. It is said diat in Italy and other warm climates 
it is much better than in colder latitudes, and that it is there 
much esteemed ; if so, it would find an appropriate climate 
in our Southern States. It is but recently that this tree was 
introduced to our country by myself, having received it from 
the south of France. Like the other varieties of the Blood 
peach, it serves for preserves, compotes, and pickles. 



200 



PEACHES. 



BARRINGTON. Pr. cat. Pjm. mag. Lond. iiort. cat. 
Buckingham Mignonne. Lond. Horl. Cat, 

This peach, some trees of which I introduced a few years 
since from Europe, is one of great excellence. It is arranged 
in Mr. Lindley's classification in the same section with the 
Grosse Mignonne, but is a perfectly distinct variety, consider- 
ably later at maturity, and succeeds the Royal George. The 
tree is of a healthy habit, and produces good crops. 

The following detailed description I extract from the Po- 
mological Magazine, in which work the fruit is admirably 
figured. 

" Leaves crenated, with globose glands ; flowers large ; 
fruit large and handsome, roundish, somewhat elongated, and 
rather pointed at the summit; the suture moderately deep 
along one side ; skin pale yellowish green next the wall, deep 
red next the sun, marbled with darker : flesh yellowish white, 
slightly rayed with some crimson tints next the stone, from 
which it parts freely ; melting, juicy, and very rich ; stone 
middle-sized, ovate, with a lengthened sharp point, very rug- 
ged, and of a brown colour." 

END OF VOL. 1. 



The following works may be obtained of the principal booksellers : 

Prince's TREATISE ON HORTICULTURE— 200 pp.— $0,75. 
do. TREATISE ON THE VINE— 355 pp. 8vo.— $1,50. 
do. POMOLOGICAL MANUAL— 2 vols. 8vo. each 200 pp.— $2. 

The following Catalogues of the various Departments of the Linnaean Botanic 
Garden and Nurseries may be obtained from the different agents, or by applica- 
tion direct to the proprietors : 

No. L Fruit and Hardy Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, and Plants— pp. 91. 

2. Bulbous and Tuberous rooted Plants — pp. 24. 

3. Greenhouse Trees, Shrubs, and Plants— pp. 44. 

4. American Indigenous Trees, Shrubs, and Plants— pp. 4^ 

5. A Catalogue of Seeds. 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper proces 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: September 2012 

PreservationTechnologie 

A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATU 

111 Thomson Park Drive 



